Hogwarts of the Past
by Vampire Isirith
Summary: Hermione gets into trouble when she picks up a random Time Turner. She finds herself in Hogwarts of the past when the founders are alive. One seems to be too fond of her for her taste. This was not how she had planned to spend her Christmas. Bloody Hell!
1. FRED! GEORGE!

Chapter 1

FRED AND GEORGE!!!!!

Hermione walked down the hallway headed towards the kitchen of the Burrow. This had become the unofficial Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. Everyone much just started getting together here during the war with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. No one had guessed just whom it was that would meet in this place. They had thought Grimmauld Place would be safe for a while but then Voldemort launched an attack, led by the traitor Snape. So that idea went down the drain.

The whole affair had made this Christmas a very dulled and boring. It was only two and a half weeks away and there was certainly a lack of festive cheer. Even Mrs. Weasly's amazing cooking still hadn't made anybody smile in who knows how long. Hermione couldn't remember that last true smile she had seen. Grim smiles were all the rage now.

Harry had decided to stay back and not search for the Horcruxes while Voldemort was launching almost daily attacks. It would put him, Hermione, and Ron in danger like that. He now always wore that necklace that Dumbledore had died for. It was sort of a symbol for him of why he had to go on fighting.

Ron had become sort of the man with the plan. Surprising to everyone he was good at planning counter attacks against the Death Eaters. Quiet a few of his plans worked amazingly well.

Hermione had delved into the books that allowed her learn double what she had known when they had left Hogwarts, over a year ago. She could do things with a wand that would have had Dumbledore scratching his chin.

Hermione heard a slight click from a room to the right. It had once been Fred and George's room but now it served as a room for a guest. There were still a lot of the boxes that the twins had left and never come to get. They were doing well with the shop so they hadn't been by in a few months.

She opened the door slowly and looked around. She flicked her wand at the chandelier she had put into the room. All the candles light up instantly. She was now an expert at noncommunication spell casting.

One of the boxes in the corner was shaking. It was almost like it was afraid of something.

She walked over and opened the lid.

The box was empty except for a small, very small, Time Turner. It was shaking slightly from who knows what. Alek picked up the small thing that it fit easily in the palm of her hand.

"I thought all the Time Turners were destroyed back in the Hall of Time." She thought back to when she had smashed into the shelf that had held the Time Turner stock of the Ministry back in her fifth year. How in the world had Fred and George come to possess one?

Suddenly the little sand turner in the middle began to spin on its own accord. The cord wrapped itself around her wrist, meaning that she was going for the ride. She pulled against the cord with her other hand but the thing wasn't going to let her go.

A feeling of plummeting came over her. This was a new feeling for her when time travel came to play. In her third year she had never felt a sense of plummeting when it came to it. She had always just watched people go back in time. This was defiantly a new one.

The cord pulled tight and she knew that this wasn't going to end well for her and whoever found her when she got wherever it was she was going. Well rather when she was going.

Wind started to fly around her as she went in what felt like a tight tunnel. It was almost like Apperating.

Hermione felt odd as she was pulled along.

Before she had time to adjust to the odd sensation she was plummeting towards the ground. Hard, stone ground. The kind that was going to hurt when she slammed into it.

She was right. It did hurt. A sharp pain shot through her back as she landed hard on the ground. Her head launched back a little and the breath knocked out of her. She felt a stinging sensation in her hand.

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Godric Gryffindor sat back against his chair, his booted foot tapping on the stone floor of the castle. He knew that he should probably get carpet for the room but he was far too busy to ever get it done.

He lightly flicked his wand as a bug flew by him. The bug suddenly stopped in midair and then zoomed straight towards him. The bug, a fly, landed on his desk and began to dance. The bug started to waltz around the desk and robes of rich color appeared on the little fly as it continued to dance.

A loud thump came from outside his office, causing him to let the fly go. He stood up and ran out to the hallway, quite curious as to what the noise was. Outside his office, laying on the floor was a girl. She had on black robes with a small skirt underneath it. His eyes went wide as he saw that her legs were quite exposed and her shirt revealed her cleavage.

"Umm, girl?" he asked.

She moaned a little but there was no other response. He lightly prodded her with his fingers in the shoulder.

"Godric?" called a voice. He turned around to find a man in green robes. Godric smiled at him as he stood up, the green man fast approaching. The man looked down at the girl and raised an eyebrow.

"I haven't the slightest clue where this girl came from, Salazar," Godric said to the man before Salazar could say anything else.

"I think we should get her to the medical wing," Salazar said.

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Rowena sat in her study flipping through a new book she had just received from a Chinese wizard that admired her intellect. With a new spell, something she herself had invented, she had translated the book with relative ease. It was an interesting book. She was fairly interested in what this Chinese wizard had come up with.

A knock at the door came in a few short raps. _Salazar_, she thought. Only Salazar would knock so curt and politely. Much like his personality.

"You may enter," she called.

The door opened an in stepped the expected man. His black hair that fell to just above his hips was pulled back in the normal fashion with a silver ribbon. He had on his favorite colored robes, a deep rich green, with silver hemming. The black fur on his trim was the usual of the winter along with the large sleeves with the same hemming. A silver belt made up of metal rings was around his waist. He also wore his customary locket with the serpent S and matching ring with matching green stones. He was his usual handsome self.

"To what do I owe the honor?" Rowena smiled as he walked over to her. She stood up from her chair and he kissed her hand.

As he rose up the usual smirk wasn't playing on his lips. She normally loved the little smirk that would play when he was around her.

Instead he looked grim.

"Salazar, not that it isn't normal, but what had made you so grim?" she asked.

That earned her a chuckle. "I fear a little girl has suddenly dropped into out mist. Godric found her a few moments ago, outside his office, lying on the ground. We transported her to the medical wing and into the care of Mavate. "

Rowena, who had been turning to close her book, stopped mid turn.

"I beg pardon?"

Salazar, during normal circumstances, would have found a stumped Rowena an interesting sight. She was the brightest witch of her age and certainly wasn't one to be stumped a lot. Or ever if his memory served him well.

"Come see." Salazar offered her his arm, which she took.

The two swept out into the cold hallway. Winter was such a cold time in a stone castle.

Salazar led her not to the office but to the infirmary. She figured that he must have moved the girl out of pity for where she must have been.

He kept his face impassive as they walked into the large room. But internally he was quite curious about this strange girl.

Something about her was making him overly curious.

Rowena spotted the bed that Lady Mavate Hestrom, the nurse of the school, was leaning over. Her dark hair was braided back and in a bun. Her glasses were pushed back high on her nose. It was quite odd to see a woman with glasses but there she was. Her soft warm hazel eyes were looking over a strange girl.

The girl was lying on a bed her eyes shut tight. It was obvious that she was playing asleep. She seemed to be fooling Mavate but Rowena knew instantly that she was quite awake.

Mavate looked up at the pair. She bowed her head slightly and then turned around to grab a potion from the table next to the bed. It wasn't often that she got a patient this bad. When she turned back she then spoke to them.

"I have healed her head as best I can Professor Slytherin." Rowena could almost see the smirk that was on his face.

Mavate had a sister that taught with in the school, Elanora Hestrom. She was a brash and rather ditsy young witch, quite the opposite of her reserved and polite sister. She was extremely bright when it came to plants, so naturally she taught Herbology. But Salazar hated that she was so forward. She was constantly insisting that he call her "Elanora" and she call him "Salazar." He hated it.

Rowena turned to Salazar as she noticed Godric sitting on a summoned chair next to the bed. "I will alert the others to the news." With that she left in a flourish.

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Hermione stayed perfectly still as the nurse looked over her. She didn't know the where in the world she was but she didn't want to give anything away.

Better question would be to ask _when _she was. The Time Turner had broken in her hand when she had landed in the hallway. Everything on her hurt as she had tried to lift herself up.

Then a strange man had come out, dressed in the oddest robes she had ever seen. And that was compared to Dumbledore, who dressed like no other she had seen. It would have been funny had she not been in the situation she was in.

After she had fainted she had found herself in what looked like an old version of the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. Then a nurse had come up and started to tend to her. One thing was for sure. This woman was no Madam Pomphrey.

"Young lady, while the performance in admirable, I fear, much to your disappointment, I am not being fooled." This man's voice was very striking yet had a sense of demure to it. He had a deep and commanding sounding voice.

Hermione knew that the jig was up. So she opened her eyes to be met with a man sitting next to her.

He was staring at her with curious blue eyes. He had light brown hair that was pulled back with a red ribbon and a small tuff of hair was just on his chin. The cloak was a deep red, not the color of blood but a nice red, with gold hemming. Underneath she could see a lighter red tunic that also had gold hemming down the center. The bottom of the tunic became a sort of a skirt for him that went down to just about his midthigh. He wore brown tights with brown leather boots. His sleeves were wide, as seemed to be the custom with most robes. On his hip rested a sword she knew all to well having seen it in Dumbledore's office quite enough times.

The same man who she had first seen when she had landed.

"Much better. Now I can talk to you properly," the man smiled.

Hermione settled for just staring at the man.

"Care you to tell us your name?"

"Hermione Granger," Hermione said sitting up to face the man. The nurse looked as if she was about to protest but the man in the green held up his hand to tell her to wait. "Who are you?"

"Godric and the man next to me is Salazar Slytherin. And the nurse you were so adeptly ignoring is Mavate Hestrom. "

Hermione sputtered on the potion that she had just taken from the nurse. She whipped the stuff on her cheeks with the end of her sleeve, much to the disgust of the nurse.

"Your who?" she cried.

"Do you know of us?" Godric asked. Salazar was looking at the girl with a mix of disgust and annoyance. He thought the girl was impudent and rather rude.

"What year is it?"

_This cannot be happening. This cannot be happening._ Hermione kept repeating that in her head. There was no way she had traveled a thousand years into the past and landed in Hogwarts where the founders of the Hogwarts were still alive.

No. This was just all a weird dream. In a few minutes she would wake up with Ron shaking her shoulder. Then Harry would tell her that she had fallen asleep while reading a book, most likely _Hogwarts A History_. It wasn't unusual that she would dream about what she read. This was just the weirdest one she had ever had.

"987," Godric answered curiously.

"Oh bloody hell," Hermione muttered putting her face in her hands.

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I had to redo some of my chapters because they seemed to resemble one of my favorite FanFics, "Love in Antiquity." Whenever I was writing this story, I guess, though I certainly didn't me to, I subconsciously thought about some key points and went with that as a basis of my story. So I went back and changed some of the major points that resembled that amazing FanFic.

But most of it is the same story as it always was. I would like to apologize for accidentally doing that.


	2. Meeting the Rest

Chapter 2

Meeting the Rest

No, this could be happening. It was impossible. There had to be some kind of mistake. That was all that Hermione could think while she sat on the bed in the hospital wing.

Godric and Salazar had left to talk with the others that were amongst the school. The thought that they were going to talk to Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff was just a crazy thought to her.

She lay back on the bed resting her head against the pillow. The nurse, Mavate as she learned her name was, kept bustling about her.

Hermione was already in enough stress trying to accept that she was a thousand years in the past. If she ever got back she was certainly going to give Fred and George a piece of her mind. And maybe her wand.

She watched as Mavate walked past her dressed in odd robes. She couldn't help but see that compared to Mavate that she was way underdressed in this era.

Just watching the twittering woman, that reminded her of a cross between McGonagall and Pomphrey, was quite interesting. It was kind of funny that she was so busy and had only one patient.

Suddenly the door burst open and in walked a woman in a swirling blue dress. That told her just who this woman was. Only one person in this time would wear that much blue and get away with it.

Godric Gryffindor in full regal view stood before her. He certainly looked as grand and regal as all the books said.

He sat down next to her in the chair that Rowena had been sitting in.

"Greetings woman," she said. Her voice was light yet intelligent sounding. It was a calming voice that soothed her to hear.

Hermione nodded her head at the woman. She would wait until she heard what it was she wanted before she spoke.

"I was informed that you had suddenly dropped outside of Godric's office just moments ago and the men thought it would be better if a woman talked to you. So who are you?"

"My name is Hermione Granger," she started.

"And just why do you bear the mark of Godric on your chest?" Both looked down at roaring lion on top of her right breast. That was the only robe that she would wear during the winter because they were the warmer of her robes.

That was certainly a question. She knew why she bore the crest of Gryffindor. But could she tell her? In the third year she had been told to be wary of situations that might affect the future if she got involved. This was probably on of them.

But there was no way that she cold change it even more than already. Might as well tell them.

"Where to begin—?"

Rowena interrupted her. "The beginning is usually the best place."

_Smart ass._

"Well, I am from the year two thousand and seven. I accidentally picked up a booby-trapped Time Turner. It is a device from my time that can allow you to travel back and forwards between times. Normally it won't take me back this far in time. So I guess it got smashed when I landed when I was thrown into the past. Or rather now."

"Really time travel?" Rowena exclaimed.

"Were wizards and witches here, Rowena. Do have an open mind my witty raven friend," said a snide voice that both knew all to well.

The turned to see Salazar, in all his majestic green robes, standing in the doorway of the hospital wing. He had a smirk on his face that said he was messing with Rowena, who in turn just shook her head.

He walked in to the room and stood at the foot of Hermione's bed. She watched him curiously to notice that he had something purple in his arms. He put the bundle on the end of her bed. She saw they were robes more like their time of style.

"Helga had requested that we have a meeting with the other teachers in the Room of Requirement. She wants this young girl here to explain it out as to how she managed to land in your hallway."

He certainly wasn't a man of many words.

"Do put these on. I fear that your robes are quite inadequate for this time of year. And some modesty should be shown." Hermione blushed as he waved his hand over her apparel. "Rowena will lead you there."

With that Salazar turned and walked out of the room. Hermione watched his retreating back with a mixture of annoyance and confusion.

It must have been pretty obvious on her face because Rowena suddenly grinned, reminding her terribly of the twin's devilish grins. "Don't worry. Sally is just being his normal proper self."

"I'll say. Looks like he had got a bloody stick up his ass," Hermione muttered.

Rowena had heard her. She burst into a fit of laughter. Her light giggles was a nice sound for Hermione. She even fell out of her chair.

She picked himself up, as red as Godric's cloak. Mavate looked at her with an eye of annoyance. She was certainly just as proper as Salazar.

"Now get dressed, Miss Granger. Then I will escort you to the Room of Requirement where you may tell my colleges and me about your interesting tale. I am sure that Isvathtere will be most interesting to learn how you time traveled."

_Who in the world is Isvathtere?_ Hermione thought. _Certainly had a weirder name than I do._

Rowena covered his eyes with his hand as Hermione stood up and stripped her clothes. Mavate the nurse took her clothes, eyeing them like a plague. She had a sneaking suspicion that she was never going to see her robes again. The robes were made of fine material, it felt like some really thick silk. A rich purple was the color it had with flower shapes sewn into it. They were certainly too big for her. The hem was dragging a bit along the floor and the sleeves were too long her hands to stick out.

Uncovering her eyes, Rowena couldn't help but grin at the sight. She looked good in the robes that she had—kind of—borrowed.

She held out her hand for her. She brushed by her towards the door.

Rowena figured that she wasn't used to that kind of custom in her time. This was going to be interesting.

The two went out into the hallway and headed straight for the Room of Requirement. It surprised her that she knew where the room was. They walked past the wall three times and then stood in front of the door that had appeared. It was a deep red wood door with a glittering silver handle.

Rowena opened the door and allowed Hermione to enter first.

She wasn't expecting the large crowd that was in the room. All of the teachers were in there.

Godric sat on a couch talking to a woman dressed in a canary yellow dress. Her hair was a strawberry blonde and pulled into a bun on the top of her head with a long braid going down her back, ending at her butt. The hem of her robe was black and told her just whom it was that Godric was talking to. Her green eyes were lively and king looking. Her sleeves were just like the others she had met to far, and that included her at the moment.

Near the north wall stood two women deep in discussion. One was taller than the other. She had long black hair that spanned down to her knees. The only thing in her hair was two braid held by a ruby hairpin. She was dressed in regal looking amethyst robes trimmed just like the ones that Hermione was wearing. But on this woman they fit. Explained where the robes were from.

The other woman came up to her friend's shoulders. She had long dark blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and fell to her butt. She had an identical ruby hairpin to the girl she was talking to. Her robes were made the same as her friend but were the color of the sky. It matched her eyes almost perfectly. If Hermione didn't know any better she would guess that the two were related.

A small man stood against the wall. He looked terribly short compared to the other people in the room. He didn't look like much of a talker to her. On the couch opposite of Helga and Rowena were two other men. One was slightly older and had graying hair on his chin with a little on his head. He looked slightly frazzled at being in such a large crowd of people. The man next to him looked much younger than his friend. He was dressed in light orange robes that looked humorous against the shocking blonde of his hair. His eyes were observant and calculating.

The only other people in the room were a young girl in the corner that looked at Salazar, who was sitting on a couch near the girl in the purple robes and had engaged her in some conversation. This was obviously a girl related to the nurse. She had the same build and almost the same looks as Mavate. The other person was another slightly aged man. He had a rather large book on his lap and hadn't raised his nose even when the door slammed shut from Rowena. Hermione guessed he was the librarian.

Rowena raised his hand as he introduced each of the people in the room.

Hermione was surprised to learn the two women on the north wall were not cousins as she had guessed. They were twin sisters. Obviously fraternal twin sisters. Isvathtere, the one with the black hair and taller one, was the older of the two. Her sister was Gavillece Gryffindor. It turned out they were cousins to the Founder of Gryffindor house. Isvathtere taught Defense Against the Dark Arts and Gavillece taught Astronomy.

The small man in the corner was Brotus and he taught Care of Magical Creatures. Hermione had to rephrase something she had thought earlier. Brotus was a man of no words, not Salazar. The man on the couch with the wild hair was Narcorsum Valsaecrum and he taught Divination, something that didn't surprise her. The man next to him was Kalen Thunderist and he taught the History of Magic class. The man in the book was indeed the librarian and his name was Jarvice Mortism. Elanora was the young woman on the side and she taught Herbology. At the moment she was glaring angrily as Isvathtere while she talked to Salazar. The remaining subjects were taught by Rowena (Transfiguration and Runes), Helga (Charms), Salazar (Potions), and Godric (Experimental Spells and Jinxes).

"And this everyone," Rowena said after she had introduced everyone to Hermione looked at them. "Is Hermione Granger, the girl who so gracefully landed near Salazar's office."

Isvathtere raised an eyebrow at Rowena. "Dear friend, may I inquire as to why she is wearing one of my robes?" Hermione couldn't help but feel a pang as Salazar smirked at the woman leaning on the couch he sat on. She didn't know why but the pang just came from nowhere.

Godric grinned sheepishly from his position next to Helga. "Your room was the only one I could get into. Gavillece tied up her room with those new spells you came up with."

Gavillece raised her eyebrow much like her sister. Hermione could see how they were related to each other. "So you planned to steal mine, did you?"

"Yours would have fit better than Isva's do." Isvathtere cringed at a nickname she was constantly called by their annoying cousin. But a smile spread across her face at his carefree nature.

Hermione couldn't help but giggle at the sight. Godric was the goofy and it seemed carefree one of the three. Isva, Hermione had decided to call here that because it was much easier to pronounce, was the older yet had a bit of Godric's personality. Her smile was easy and sincere. Gavillece was the stiff and straight faced one. It was obvious who was the actual older one.

Rowena raised her hand to stop the two from arguing. They didn't need this while they were trying to figure out just where, and though Hermione hadn't said it yet, when and why she was here.

"Now Hermione, if you would be so kind as to tell us your tale of how you came to land outside Godric's office."

Everyone in the room snapped to attention as Rowena said this. It seemed that they were very curious.

Hermione didn't like being on the spot light. Everyone was looking at her with expectation and some, particularly Salazar and Gavillece, looked faintly bored by her.

She told them her whole story about how she had come to get here. During the tale Isva sat down next to Salazar and was listening to her very intently. Godric had been right about her curiosity. Rowena looked just as intrigued as Isva. Most of the other teachers looked like they didn't know what to make of what she said.

When she was done Hermione scratched her head and waited for someone to say something.

"That certainly is a curious tale," nodded Helga. Her voice was almost just like Hermione thought it would be. It was kind yet had a sweet hint to it. She had a very beautiful face when she looked at Hermione.

"A thousand years from the future," pondered Isva. She tapped her chin with her hand as she thought about it.

Gavillece leaned on the couch near her sister's shoulder. The two looked at each other and nodded. "So you really think that she is telling the truth?" Hermione guessed that she was talking to Isva.

"It could be possible, I suppose." She turned to Hermione. "Do you have the device, the Time Turner as you called it, with you?"

Hermione looked at her right hand. The Time Turner wasn't there.

"Where is the Time Turner?" she demanded looking around.

"I believe that Mavate took it from you when I brought you to the Hospital Wing. Most of it was buried in your hand," Salazar offered.

"Shall I get the thing then?" Godric looked at her.

"I'll get it," said Isva. She stood up and walked over to the door, where both were still standing. She left the room with a glance at Hermione.

"So now the question is how to get you back to your time," Rowena said. "I know that Isva will work on the device and see just how it is that it works."

"Can she really do that?" Hermione asked.

"Trust me, Isva is the smartest one amongst us," Godric grinned.

Hermione thought about it for a minute. She now knew why the name was familiar. Why both her and her sister's name were familiar. They were the teachers of their respected subjects. They were both listed in the book: _The Life of Godric Gryffindor. _Isva was the first teacher of D.A.D.A. and ended up inventing the Apperation spell that everyone used in her time. Gavillece was the first person to name all the stars when she was older. She was literally in the presence of some of history's biggest wizards and witches.

"Well I suppose that you will need to stay here until we can find out how to send you back," Godric said looking around.

"I see no problem with that," Rowena said.

So she was going to stay in the castle and able to use the resources here.

"Come with me, Miss Granger. I will show you to a place where you can stay."

Godric swept out of the room and she followed. He led her up a few stair cases until they came into a hallway that was emptied of students. It seemed that the castle was empty of most students due to the Christmas break. That mean she had about three weeks until they came back to the school.

Three weeks until she could end up messing up history.

"This will be your room," Godric said pointing at the door they had stopped in front of. "If you need anything Gavillece's room is on the floor below you."

She looked at him like he was crazy.

"Don't worry," he laughed. "She isn't so bad. Her bark is worse than her bite."

Hermione walked into the room after Godric had bid her good night. It was certainly later than she had thought it was as she looked out the room's window.

The room was large and wide with three doors going off it. The west wall had a large fireplace with a large fire roaring. The floor of the room was lower than where she was standing on so the table in the center with large comfy chairs around it. Around the walls were bookshelves, a desk, and a table. Hermione walked around the room to each of the doors. The first one had a bathroom, with a large tub and sink in it. The next was a closet, sadly completely empty. Then was a bedroom with a huge bed and other assorted bedroom junk.

Hermione walked back into the main room and flopped down on the couch nearest the fire.

What had she done to deserve to get into this much trouble? All she had done was gone to check on a simple noise in Fred and George's room. This was not a good day.

Godric seemed like a bit of an idiot to her. He was too goofy for her taste. She had thought he would be the great and ferocious leader of the four that books described him as. Rowena seemed much like Hermione would have thought she would be. The controlling older sister kind of figure. She hadn't had a chance to really talk to Helga so she didn't know what to make of her yet. And then there was Salazar…

What could you say about him? He didn't seem quite like she thought he would be. Sure he was arrogant, annoyingly stiff, and just all around seemed like an ass. But he didn't seem the cold hearted, cruel, evil, uncaring bastard books described him as. He seemed especially fond of Isva.

Books really did only put what they wanted in them.

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I love the characters of Isva and Gavi. They are just the perfect compliment to Godric. I hope the characters of the founders seem to fit them. They don't talk much in this one but I just needed to introduce all the teachers and then Helga. Well this is how I imagined them so if you don't like them, write one where you can make them different. I'll read it.

REVIEW!!!!!!!!!


	3. Discussing the Matter

Chapter 3

Breakfast with Teachers

The sun shown over the castle to the sounds of birds chirping. The grounds looked wonderful bathed in the morning light from the sun. The lake glimmered from the burning light that was cascading down.

Hermione raised her hand to block the burning light. Her neck had a horrible cramp in it from where she had fallen asleep on the couch. It was far warmer in front of the fire then it was in the bed.

Her head was spinning at all the revaluations that had been made in the past twenty-four hours. She couldn't believe that she was in the past and was living during the same time as the founders of Hogwarts. Her logical mind told her that she was crazy for thinking about something this crazy but nonetheless it was true.

She heard a clunk of something being dropped as she sat up. She opened her eyes slowly to find a woman standing at the bookshelf on the east wall. It was Isva standing by it with a book in her hand.

"Isva!" Hermione yelled as she shot up from her couch.

Isva raised an eyebrow at her as she looked over her. Hermione looked down at herself when Isva smirked slightly. She was wearing the purple robes she had borrowed from her. Her hair was rumpled and looked like she had been threw a windstorm. The side of her face was red from lying on the rough material.

Compared to Isva's neat appearance she felt just a little dirty.

"What are you doing in here?" asked Hermione. She grabbed the blanket that had somehow gotten on her during the night. She pulled it around her as the girl set the book down on the nearby table.

"I came to fetch you for breakfast," Isva said boredly.

"So you just barged into my room without even knocking?"

"I did knock, you impulsive scatter brain. But you were to far asleep to hear anything around you."

Hermione glared at her. She had just been insulted by a woman she hadn't done anything to. It was obvious that this girl had a pain-in-the-ass complex.

"What in the world did I ever do to you?"

Isva walked around the room and picked up the other book that was off the shelf. She put it up on the shelf but didn't answer her. Hermione found it odd that she was wearing a deep red outfit today that matched Godric's.

"I don't suppose you really did anything to me personally," Isva's voice said.

"Then why the hell did you just insult me?"

Isva tipped her head back and let loose a laugh.

"Least you are not a wimp like a whole bunch of the girls around here. A tad of spunk is always nice to in someone."

This girl had bipolar complex. She couldn't seem too decided if she wanted to be cruel or if she wanted to be nice. Hermione was having a bit of trouble keeping up with her.

"Come on. Get dressed in better robes and we can got down to breakfast."

"But I haven't gotten any robes—."

"Go check your closet."

Hermione walked into the door that was her closet to find it full of multiple colored robes on the racks. All of them were nice expensive looking robes that would only belong to royalty. Or in this case wizards.

She shut the door with a click and looked at the robes. Which one did she want to wear today?

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Isva leaned back on the couch in Hermione's room. She crossed her legs underneath her robes while she looked around the room.

She herself had designed the room she now stood in. It had been a little bit of experimental magic that had turned out nicely. In honest she had just been so pissed at her cousin that she had blasted the nearest wall with some words she wanted to try out and this was the result.

She could still remember that thing that she had been so angry about. Godric had kept cracking jokes that she was a cute match for Salazar. He had insisted that Salazar court her even though she had flat told him that she wanted no such thing.

So now she was stuck with her cousin's friend courting her. The whole play of things was bugging the hell out of her. She wanted nothing to do with Salazar and whatever stupid things he was planning only for the curtsey of Godric.

The door clicked behind her and Hermione stepped out.

Isva looked over her shoulder and nearly fell over from the sight.

Hermione looked very awkward in the blue dress that she was wearing. It looked like something that Helga would wear and not this girl.

"I look retarded, don't I?" Hermione asked embarrassed. She felt stupid in a dress. She was the pants and shirt kind of girl. Not the flowing robes, majestic appearance kind of person.

"Well you certainly need to do something with the hair but I think that you look fine." Isva flicked her wand at her and Hermione felt her hair fly up.

A mirror then came up in front of her. Her hair was pulled up in two braids and then wrapped around to the top of her head.

Hermione followed her out of the room and into the hallway. The door closed automatically as they left the room. Her shoes clicked on the marble as she held her arms around her to keep her warm. The castle was always so damn cold in the winter that it wasn't funny. And without all the other students to radiate body heat it was even colder.

"Is there something wrong, Miss Granger?" Isva was looking at her kindly. She really had to stop it with all these personalities changes.

"It's just a little cold in the castle," Hermione said between shivers.

"Why aren't you wearing a winter robe then?"

Hermione couldn't help but notice that she was wearing a robe trimmed with fur and was thicker than hers. Stupid rich woman.

"Thanks for that there," scowled Isva.

Hermione stopped walking and looked back at her. "Did you just read my mind?"

"Simple spell, for me that is."

Hermione glared at her back as she passed her. They were going to have some problems if this girl kept up this multiple personality disorder. And the insults that she kept shooting at her.

She followed Isva into the Great Hall. The other teachers were already sitting at a table in the center of the room. All the house tables were pushed against the walls.

Hermione took a seat next to Godric who had Gavi on his other side. Isva took a seat next to Salazar who instantly caught her attention with some new potion he was working on. Again Hermione felt that odd pang in her chest.

"Did you find your room to be accommodating?" asked Helga from across the table.

Hermione couldn't help but smile at her. It was going to be easy to get along with this particular Founder. She was kind and seemed easy going.

"Yes, the room was very nice. You really didn't have to do anything like that for me," said Hermione.

"It was no problem for us," Godric said clapping a hand on her back.

Hermione flinched a little at the strength behind the action. At least he was nicer than the stuck up snake across from her.

She couldn't help but tune into their conversation as Godric started talking to another teacher.

"You really think that you can combine the blood of a cobra and the tongue of a spine fish will get that reaction?" Isva said picking up a piece of egg with her fork.

"I'm not really sure," admitted Salazar. " But I am going to try out the theory later today."

"Might I join you there? I'm a little interested to see what reaction you will get with it."

"It would be my pleasure," Salazar said with a slight bow of his head.

Jarvice looked up from his book. "Just don't go using one of my books again."

Isva rounded on the older man. "Jarvice! Come on! Don't be like that."

Hermione could see that Jarvice wasn't much older than Isva looked. And Isva looked to be maybe in her early twenties possibly late teens. Jarvice couldn't have been later than his early thirties. In fact all the people, excluding Narcorsum and Brotus, looked to be fairly young.

"Not after what you did the last time to my poor book. I absolutely refuse to see another book destroyed like that." Jarvice was looking at her with a hint of amusement that he was getting that reaction.

"It was Salazar's fault that the book was melted by the acid coming out of cauldron. Blame him."

Salazar looked at her with an annoyed eye. "I do believe that it was you who suggested that we had the Garthgima flower petal."

"Then you decided that we should put in the Rose water. That's what caused it. So don't go blaming it on me you fool!" Isva was glaring at Salazar. She crossed her arms in a huff over her chest.

Hermione watched as the conversation got past her understanding. Something about those three reminded her terribly of kids. They were arguing like they were five years old but with a bit of dignity.

Godric elbowed her lightly to get her attention. She turned to see him grinning at her. She had to scoot back away from him to keep from being directly in his face. It seemed he was far to comfortable around her for her taste.

"Don't they make such a cute couple?" he whispered to her.

Hermione looked at the two. Salazar was now ignoring Isva by turning the other direction to face. Isva's was not having any of that. She grabbed him by his chin and made him face her.

"Alright," Godric sighed at the look of exasperation he was getting from her. "So they aren't a couple yet. But my cousin, I fear, is far too stubborn for her own good. She knows that she is a good match for old Sally over there but her thick headed nature is just to much to deal with."

"I really don't see it. They look more like they want to kill each other not be a couple."

For some reason that pleased her. She liked that Isva was not into Salazar and he was not into her. That feeling was back in her chest. Yet, this time it was a pang of joy and not the other one.

"So Hermione," Rowena interrupted. "How do you plan to start finding a way to get back to your time?"

Everyone looked at her and then Hermione.

"I really don't know," Hermione admitted sheepishly. "I thought I might start in the library with some research. That seemed to be a good place to start."

"If you need anything while you are there I will be more than happy to help you," smiled Jarvice.

"Yeah, as long as you don't touch any of the books," Isva muttered darkly.

Jarvice turned to look at her angrily. "And just what do you mean by that? Is there some problem with how I run my library?"

"If anyone touches a book suddenly you go Witch Trial on their ass," said Isva.

"Isvathtere Gryffindor!" cried Godric shooting up.

"What? You very well know that it is true."

Godric sat back down shaking his head.

Jarvice turned away from her and back to his book. He certainly didn't look in as a good mood as before.

Hermione had to hold back the laughter. Just watching them was amusing enough. Now to watch them interact with each other was even more interesting. It was like observing animals in their natural habitat.

"Will you two never get along?" Rowena asked glaring at Isva.

"Rowena, I suggest that you don't bother," Gavi said on the right. She shook her head and shot an annoyed glare at her sister. Isva just flashed a grin at her.

"You'll get used to it," Helga said maternally. She was watching the two sisters, Salazar, and Godric arguing yet again.

Suddenly a bowl of porridge landed right on Godric's head with a loud spluching noise as he stood up. The porridge ran down his face as he moved his hair out of his eyes. His blue eyes were burning with rage.

"Who dared to throw that at me?" His voice was barley concealing that anger and rage that was there.

At once all the fingers pointed at Isva. She scowled at the surrounding crowd.

Helga shook her head. She turned back to Hermione with a sad grin on her face. "Possibly."

Hermione couldn't help but notice that this wasn't going to be exactly as normal as she thought it would be. And normal was already being stretched in this situation.

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Yeah I know that Isva keeps popping up in this chapter. She is kinda of an important character in this fan fic. Well her and Gavi. But I realize that she seemed to dominate this chapter rather than Hermione like I had intended.

Maybe I should start writing in different POVs instead of third person? I might.


	4. Just Listen

Chapter 4

Just Listen!!!

Hermione sat at her customary table in the large room in her apartment like room. She had a load of books out on the table, reading them all. This was now her customary spot to be found by anyone that wanted to find her. Not that any one really would.

She had been in the Hogwarts of past for two weeks. Christmas was getting closer and yet she couldn't find a single thing that would let her get back to her time in order to spend Christmas with Ron and them.

It hurt her to wonder if the guys were starting to get worried about her. She had been gone for a while and time still ran at a normal pace even when someone time traveled. So they would know that she was missing. Maybe they had started to look for. She could almost see Mrs. Weasly's face as she learned that she was missing. That woman would go bald early if she kept worrying so much about everyone.

Ron would probably suggest that they raid the Death Eater's hideout and see if she was there. Harry, of course, would be all for it. She could almost see someone, probably Lupin or someone sensible, trying to get them to not go through with it. They would probably listen but not without a massive fight. Moody would probably then suggest that they go about this calmer while young Tonks bounced around, swearing her head off at nameless Death Eaters.

She sighed at the thought as she got a mental picture of Harry banging his fist on the table of the Burrow and swear something, to which Mrs. Weasly would scold him like a mother. Ron would mutter something under his breath while he looked around the room. Ginny would be sitting next to Harry, attempting to consol him.

But Hermione had felt herself growing accustomed to living in the ancient castle. It wasn't that hard to adjust to spending time with the castle folk. She had desperately, at first, clung to the image that she would be home free in a few days. She figured that it would be a no brainer with the brilliant Rowena and the ever-inventive Gryffindor sisters on her side. But it seemed that this problem was evens stumping them.

Isva had kept her locked in her lab, getting her to explain every little fact about the Time Turner that the girl knew. It was like playing 21 questions without the prize money. The girl was making sure that she noted everything down in a pad that was, so far, thirty two pages.

Rowena had taken to testing every little part of Hermione to see if any traces were left on her body while going through the 'Time Tunnel', as the woman had dubbed it. The woman was amazing at getting DNA and other such things without the 21st century technology that most people used for the testing. Hermione was amazed by the woman's intelligence.

Gavi was looking to the stars to see if she could find anything while reading like a mad woman through books that even had Hermione scratching her head. It wasn't that they confused her it was that they were in so many different languages. Gavi could read them all easily.

A few of the other teachers were trying out less conventional methods. Elanora just suggested that they just throw the girl out and be done with her. Mavate, her sister, merely wanted to make sure the girl stayed in good health and didn't suddenly relapse.

In the last four days the door had been notoriously quiet. Isva had locked her self into her room to review all her notes while she went over the Time Turner, Gavi was still buried up to her elbows in books, Mavate had finally decided that Hermione was in fine health, Elanora went back to trailing Salazar.

Hermione turned the page of the book she was in. She had found this book, _Here and Back Again: Speculation on Time Travels_, in the library when she had snuck down to there. Jarvice, the librarian was a little touchy about his books. He wanted them kept where he could see them and hung over her like a hawk whenever she went down to read. He was way worse then the librarian back at her time.

It was surprisingly hard to sneak into the library with Jarvice always haunting it. He never seemed to leave the damn place. So it had taken a little imaginative thinking to get him out of the place. Then she had to be careful to not let him notice her as she had grabbed the books and then snuck out.

Her new friend for the last four days we a little House-elf names Jinxy. Even though she couldn't free him, as she would have liked to, she was very nice to him. He has quite the personality and was terribly intelligent. He was always sitting on her table, little legs swinging, talking to her.

She heard the door creak open behind her. It wasn't unusual for Jinxy to come in now with her lunch. He came and went as he pleased in her room. The door shut with a little click.

The footsteps were muffled as they walked across the floor. He was obviously trying not to disturb her. Bless him.

"Jinxy," she said not bothering to look behind her. "Just put the food on the table like normal. I'm sorry, but I am not in the mood to talk."

Without waiting for a reply she went back to the book, somehow still on the same passage.

Suddenly a hand gripped her shoulder. Hermione jumped from her sitting position. She whirled around to see who it was that was grabbing at her.

Godric stood behind her with grin etched in his face. His gloved hand was firmly on her shoulder, not releasing her. He was faintly sure that she would dart for her wand to blast him.

"Godric!" she cried.

"How you doing?" he said with a slight bow of his head.

"Damn!" she cried, a hand clutching where her heart was. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"I did not mean to frighten you," he chuckled, obviously lying.

Godric was forever playing pranks on her in the past two weeks. He had scared her twice when she was sneaking from the library. She always jumped for her wand and was near to blasting who knows what spell at him. He had also scared her by making the armor jump at her.

She hated that he was forever making her more jumpy then she needed to be. She glared at him as she turned around to face him. "Must you always do that?"

"It is too much fun not to," he laughed, sitting down on one of her couches. He through his cloak back as he kicked his feet up on the armrest of the seat. Hermione made a face as his soles connected with the leather. It was annoying to see the dirtied souls on her nice leather couch. "You are too easy to scare."

"You know," Hermione noted, "I can see why Isva is always throwing spells at you. I can barely stand you, and she has to live with you for the rest of your life. That poor girl. Of course, there is the fact that she can blow you clear to China with her Badinos Spell. I might say that you are the one I fell sorry for you."

Godric made a face at her, while he took his feet off of the leather. "It's not my fault that I just have naturally annoying personality. But I am who I am and that is all I can say. You just have to love me as I am, dear."

"Well, aren't you just a humble little thing?" Hermione asked.

"Naturally," he chuckled. "So why did you lock yourself away for the last four days?"

"I have a lot to do, with trying to get home and all. Keeps me busy." She was lying through her teeth. In truth, she spent half the time just walking aimlessly around the room and talking with Jinxy.

Godric had to hide his chuckle. It was an obvious lie. But he would play the game for a bit.

"Perhaps it was that every time you saw me, you knew you were deeply in love with me and couldn't stand to look at me anymore? Or are you hiding from Jarvice because you stole his books. Which he wants returned sometime today."

"No, you bloody fool," she hissed annoyed. "Though, I must say that in moments I will jump into your lap and confess my undying love to you. Jarvice will get his books back when I am done with them."

Godric chuckled again. "I will be waiting for that with anticipation and open arms. You know I cannot but help and hope that is true. My fellow man, the librarian, will have figured that you will not return them when he wants them to be given back. He asked me to tell you to return in when you have the time and done with them."

"Anything else?"

"Yes, Isva—" He stopped as Hermione started crying on her chair— "Hermione? Hermione! What causes you to sob?"

Godric pulled her into a big hug. She buried her face into his red cloak as the sobs racked her body. He awkwardly placed them on her back as she clutched to his chest. He was never one for comforting people very well.

"I miss my friends and family so much. I haven't seen them in two weeks. I want to see them, but I know I can't. I feel so stupid to be crying. I'm just a little girl compared to the rest of you."

"Come on, come on. I know what it is like to miss ones family. It is only natural for someone to want to see their close relations again," Godric explained. "And how old do you think we are?"

"You're right," she hiccupped. She couldn't help it as a bright smile spread over her face.

He smiled as she pulled out of his arms. He didn't even mind that she had gotten her tears all over his right shoulder. He was just glad to see that she was happy.

"Come on then. The others will be happy to see you, out and about." He held out his hand for her. She took the hand happily.

"Really?" she asked as he escorted her out of the room she no longer thought as Purgatory.

"Yes, I'm quite sure that Rowena will want to yell at me for making you cry. And Isva will want to try and blow me up for the latest prank I pulled on her. I suspect that she must have fallen in it by now."

Hermione suddenly had the strong urge to start crying again. But in laughter this time.

"Though," Godric said stopping suddenly. "You will want to be careful."

"Why?" she asked worried.

"GOT YOU!" yelled a voice from down the hall.

A sudden streak of yellow and Hermione found herself on the ground pulled into a huge hug. It was hard to breath as she looked at Godric with narrowed eyes.

An easy grin spread on his face. "That's why."

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I made this chapter a little different. READ AND REVIEW


	5. Bloody Zoos

Chapter 5

Bloody Zoos

Hermione stood up as Helga stood up brushing her robes off.

"Sorry," the woman in yellow grinned as she looked at her. She tossed back a strand of her strawberry blonde hair that was hanging in her face. "Gordic made me promise to do it when he got you out of that horrid room."

"I'll thank you not to call my invention a "horrid room", Helga," snapped a voice.

Hermione swirled around to see Isva standing in the hallway with her hands on her hips. She couldn't help but notice that a dark shape was swirling around her ankles. The shape stopped and she could now see that it was a large panther with gold eyes starring at her. But oddly enough a white stripe went down the middle of its face.

Isva was wearing a lilac shade of purple today on her robes. They looked interesting in contrast with her blazing black hair. Her blue eyes were glaring at Helga with annoyance.

"Sorry, Isva. I was only saying that I was glad to see her out of the room," Helga explained.

The other woman flipped a stray strand of her hair over her shoulder and walked forward. Hermione couldn't help but feel a pang when she saw how graceful she was when she walked. She knew that there was no way she could ever walk like that.

Isva stopped in front of her, looking very imposing as she did so. Her eyes were looking down at her with a strange emotion in them.

"Err…what?" Hermione asked.

Isva crossed her arms over her chest. "Finally, your out. Now you can bloody help me with that little Time Turner some more."

"You've still been working on that?" She was shocked out of her mind. Why was it that everyone seemed to care about her here? Isva was still working on the Time Turner, Helga had run up and greeted her like an old friend, and Godric cared for her enough to trick her to come into the room to get her ass out.

Isva merely nodded.

A brush on the legs made Hermione look down. The panther was pushing its nose on her leg, sniffing her. She jumped back as far as she possibly could, landing right next to Helga and Godric.

"What the hell is that?" she shrieked diving behind Godric for safety. She looked over his shoulder in pure fright of the creature.

"It's a panther," sighed Isva, looking at her as if she was dumb.

"I know what it is," growled Hermione, "but why the hell is it in here?"

"He is not an "it". He is a boy. And his name is Oliver." She looked annoyed with Hermione.

"Oliver? Why in the world do you have a panther in a castle?"

"Because he is my best friend and pet." She had the tone that clearly thought she was thinking of Hermione as an idiot.

"You have a panther as an pet? And you named him Oliver?"

"Actually, I named him," Godric said holding up a hand. Hermione looked over at him.

"Why would you name her pet?"

Godric looked away from her, a slight grimace on his face. Hermione looked at him curiously but he wouldn't look back at her. He was looking quite intently at the wall in front of him. She turned to Isva but she was just giggling into her hand. Helga looked just as confused as she felt.

"WOOF, WOOF!" barked a loud voice.

Hermione jumped so bad that she went up a few feet and landed back behind Godric. He himself had jumped a little. Helga looked a little shaken from the sound. Isva on the other hand was bending down to the floor.

She looked down too.

On the floor, right next to Oliver, was a small silver wolf. Down the middle of it's back was a white stripe and a black tip on its tail. It was walking over to Isva, who had her hands out for it. The only thing that wasn't normal about this wolf was that it was half the size of a normal wolf.

Isva stood up with the wolf in her arms, it licking her face. It looked at her and the barked just as loud as it had before. She cringed at the loud sound.

"Whose wolf is that?" she asked.

"Mine," called a voice. Hermione turned around to see Gavi walking up to Isva. She took the wolf from Isva and started to pet its head. It looked entertainingly funny next to Gavi's grey robes.

"What it is its name?"

"Artemis. As in the moon," Gavi replied as she reached down to pet Oliver behind the ears. It earned her a low very loud purr from the overly large feline.

Hermione looked shocked that the girls could so casually touch animals as dangerous as the ones that were in their arms and next to their feet. She had just been scared when she had met the people. Now she was twice as scared of their animals.

"Err…why is she so small?"

Gavi threw a glare at her sister. "When we got mad at Godric one time we both blasted spells at him. He ducked and the spells hit Artemis here when she jumped up. Now she is twice as loud as a normal wolf and half the size of one."

"It wasn't my fault that Godric ducked," Isva said in her own defense.

"If you didn't love that shrinking spell so much then poor Artemis wouldn't have to live through her life like this." It was obvious that the girls loved their animals very much.

Padding on the floor came and then a little growl. Now standing next to Godric, just under his cloak was a small lion. Looks like Artemis wasn't the only one to meet the shrinking spell.

"Who is your lion, Godric?" Godric froze up and looked away again.

"That's Fluffers," grinned Isva.

"Fluffers?" Hermione repeated trying to suppress the giggles.

"When we were five we all got to pick what pet we wanted for finally being able to produce a Patronus. Any animal that we wanted, we could have. My Patronus was a panther, Gavi's a wolf, and Godric's a lion. We naturally wanted those. Well when we got them, Godric said that he wanted to name my panther—just for the hell of it—so I let him. He named him Oliver. In return I got to name his. I my defense I would like to say that I was only five. I looked at him, saw how fluffy he was, and named him Fluffers. It was kind of natural that Gavi didn't want us to name her pet." Isva laughed at the memory.

Gavi next to her had a hand covering her mouth to keep in the laughter. Isva was chuckling heavily.

Gavi walked off with a little wave muttering about some book that she had to read. Hermione got the idea that she wasn't the only one in the castle that loved to read. Or was as obsessed with it.

"So does everyone have an animal in this castle?" Though this now explained how the animals came to play in the Hogwarts sign.

"Most of us. Except for Brotus and Narcorsum. Well Brotus does have all those animals for his class but he doesn't call them pets. But I have a badger named Lefellaa, Rowena has a raven named Grevallis, Kalen has a fox named Telman, Jarvice had an owl named Ylever, and Elanora and Mavate have twin cats named Night and Day. Oh, and Salazar has a snake named Hester. Make sure you draw out the s."

"It must be like a zoo around her," whistled Hermione.

"Not really," said Helga. "It is just really lively."

"Now that I found out what it was that Oliver was smelling I can go back to my studies. I'll see you later Hermione. Come by my office later today when you get the chance. I want to question you on the Time Turner." With that Isva turned away from them and walked away from them, Oliver trailing after her.

Hermione turned around back to Godric and Helga. "Does everyone just come and go as they please?"

"Pretty much," sighed Godric. "Come on Fer."

"Fer?"

"That it what I call him." Fluffers padded around his feet as he looked down at the miniscule lion. "Couldn't walk around calling him Fluffers considering who I am."

Hermione bit back the chuckle as he walked off with the little lion trailing at his heals. It was hilarious that these animals were so small yet looked so threatening still. This castle was more interesting then it was in her time. Though they didn't have Voldemort running around it. So it was more interesting in a good way.

"Now Hermione, we will have to talk later. I just remembered I have a potion that it done brewing as of thirty minutes ago." Helga ran off with her robe flapping behind her.

Hermione looked around and noticed that she was alone. When had that happened?

She walked along the hallway, looking around as she went. Half the pictures that had been in her time weren't around in this time. So they hadn't been painted or they just weren't up. It felt odd to see all the blank walls that were then…now what Hogwarts looked like.

She went down a few flights of stairs and found herself in the Great Hall. It was empty of all people so Hermione was free to look around the room with interest. It looked exactly the same as it did in her time.

Out the door and down the steps of the school, she was on the yard of the school. The wind felt good as it blew. The stinging winds bite her face as she walked out on the lawn. She couldn't help but be attracted to lake. Just like she was back in her own time. Something just attracted her to sitting by the calming water. Though at the moment it was covered with ice and the ground covered by snow.

When she walked over she noticed that she wasn't alone by the lake. Salazar was sitting there, book open on his lap, wrapped in his furs. She could tell it was him by the fact that the fabric that was not the fur was green. A dead giveaway.

Making to turn back she felt her foot slip from under her. She slipped down the hill that she was standing on, slick with the snow and ice from all the previous snow falls that day. She threw her hands up to stop her but there was nothing firm enough to grab onto.

She slid clear down to the bottom. Then she hit something firm that stopped her clearly.

Hermione lifted her head up, throwing her hair back to see what it was. She was met with clear piercing green eyes.

"Salazar?" she cried.

She tried to stand up but lost her footing again. She slipped again and landed on Salazar's snow covered lap.

His face showed his clear shock at her actions. She lifted herself up to look him in the face, a blush across her cheeks. Her hand was on his thigh, maybe just a little to close to a part for either of their taste. Both jumped away from each other.

"Sorry," she apologized.

"What do you think that you are doing?" he growled.

"I slipped."

"You clumsy stupid woman." That hit a nerve. She was so tired of the female cracks that she had had to face in the battle with Draco and his cronies. They had kept laughing about how a woman shouldn't be in war. Especially with them tacking Mudblood on the end of it.

"Excuse me." She shot up glaring at him. "I may be clumsy but don't you dare insult me because I am a female."

"Miss Granger I don't know what your time is like, nor do I care. But in this time women are not on the highest requiem in the order of power. Most women are very obedient to men and I would much—."

"Well what about all the women in the castle?" Hermione interrupted.

"I think that they all are all the same as you!" roared Salazar standing up.

"So you think that all the women in the castle should act like servants to you because you are a man?" she demanded shooting up to face him. Even standing up the height difference was still too great. She was forced to look up at him. Even the symbolism was irking the hell out of her.

"Women, now and forever, will always be the property of a man. Whether it be their father while the are unmarried or their husband when they do, a man is above a woman. That is that and you will just have to get used to the fact." Salazar's face was twisted in a smirk of utter superiority. Suddenly his expression turned into a look of sheer horror.

A dark shadow was cast over Hermione as she faced the shocked snake charmer. Even though she wasn't looking at the person behind her she could feel the waves of sheer loathing that was being cast by them.

"Salazar, you damn fucking bastard!" sneered the person. The voice wasn't angry but it was the cool control and utter loathing that was coming from it that was scaring the shit out of her.

She slowly turned her head around to see that it was Isva, hands over her chest and eyes colder than the snow around them, staring right past her at Salazar. Hermione had never seen someone look so angry with someone. Except maybe when Harry looked at Voldemort.

"Isvathtere?" Salazar said slowly. "What are you doing here?"

"I was coming to get Hermione because I wanted to ask her about the Time Turner but Helga told me she was outside. And there was also the fact I read what you were about to say. How the hell do you even dare think some thing as vile and untrue as that?"

"I was just—."

"Being the completely and utterly despicable, vile, twisted, cruel, chauvinistic man that you are." Isva was calm and controlled. While Salazar on the other hand was getting steadily and steadily madder.

"No, I was merely telling the truth about what a place of what women are in this time!" yelled Salazar.

Hermione could see instantly that Isva was starting to lose her cool. Her eyes were narrowing and her hands were at her side in fist.

"Y-Y-Y-Y-You," sputtered Isva.

Suddenly in the whirl of gray Gavi was pushing Hermione out of the way, so she was no longer between the two.

"Go, Granger!" she yelled pushing Hermione towards the hill where she had come from.

Hermione hit the foot of the hill with a low thump. She pushed herself up to look at Gavi angrily. "What are you doing?"

"I said GO GRANGER!" she yelled glaring right back. She picked Hermione up by the arm and threw her a little harder towards the side of the hill. She pointed for her to go away.

Hermione wasn't going anywhere. She had no intention of listening to what Gavi was telling her to do. She wanted to see what Isva had to say to Salazar. With added input from her. She was going to sit right here and watch the whole thing.

That was until she saw Gavi's face. She had a look of terror on her beautiful face. It wasn't terror that made most people cringe but something about it made Hermione get up and run behind the hill towards the doors.

She was a bit away from the hill, blocking the three from view. The she heard Gavi yell, "ISVA! NO!"

BOOOOOOMMM! The ground shook a little causing Hermione to topple over from the force and her unsteady running.

She picked herself up from the snow that was burning on her cheeks. She looked at the hill, curious to find out what had caused the noise and explosion yet there was no way she was going back to find out with the force that had just toppled her over. She began to run again (a considerable feat in the heavy robes that she was wearing).

"YOU CAN'T KILL HIM!"

BOOOOOOMMMM!

"ISVA STOP IT!"

BOOOOOOMMM!

"WATCH THE AIM! HE IS OVER THERE NOT BY ME!"

Hermione made it into the door just as another explosion shook the grounds. It was followed by another angry cry from Gavi, "DON'T HIT ME, FOOL!"

In the doorway stood Rowena, a look of grim satisfaction, Helga, a look of no care, and Godric, a look of sheer agreement on his face.

She looked at them with a curious expression but they only continued to look out at the grounds as another BOOOOOMMM echoed for them to hear.

"GODRIC! GET DOWN HERE AND HELP ME HOLD BACK ISVATHTERE!" Gavi yelled.

Godric sighed heavily. He ran down the steps into the cold wind, his cloak flying to the side of him. He ran over to the hill. Hermione could only see him because of his bright red cloak; otherwise he would have been lost to her eyes.

As soon as he ran around the hill she heard him yell, "NO ISVA! RUN SALAZAR!"

BOOOOOMMM!

A hand came onto her shoulder and she turned to look at Rowena. "You might want to come in. When they come in you defiantly don't want to be in the battle arena that this hall is about to become."

Hermione nodded her head and followed Rowena and Helga; both seemed to be in rather foul moods about something. They went into the Great Hall and the doors shut behind them.

"What was that all about?" Hermione asked.

Helga sighed as she sat down on the Ravenclaw table bench. "We will be informed soon, I expect."

"So what do we do then?"

"Wait," both other women said.


	6. New Emotions

Sorry about taking so long with this chapter. I finally got it done after...How ever long it took me. SSSSSSSSSSOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRYY!

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Chapter 6

New Emotions

Hermione watched as Helga strolled...no paced back and forth. She had her hands resting behind her back as she paced furiously, eyes staring at the ground. Rowena sat off to the right, at her table, absentmindly twiddling her thumbs. Had Hermione been in any other less boring situation she would have found one of the great Founders twiddling her thumbs amusing. Now it was just as boring as waiting.

She had her head resting her arms, staring at the doors in front of her. How long had they been in here? She had lost track a while ago. Now she had just settled on staring at things around the large room. That had lost her interest some time ago.

"How long does it take to calm down one woman?" she asked.

Both of the other women looked surprised by the sudden noise. Helga shrugged and said, "As long as it takes to trap a dragon would be my best venture, dear."

"Isva is not one to take kindly to insults. Though she looks calm on the outside, much like the ocean, underneath she is a bundle of emotions like the turning tides. To add to the fat she was insulted by her best friend. She will not be in a pleasant mood for some time," Rowena sighed.

Suddenly the doors flew open and Gavi walked in. Her gray robes were covered in large chunks of melted snow and soot. Hermione stood up immediately. She could see how the snow had come to play but just how the hell had the soot and burns come?

Rowena was over to her in a hurry. "What is happening?"

Gavi put a hand to her head and ran it through her unruly hair. "We finally managed to calm my damn sister down. But not after causing Salazar some massive damage. I must say, she has gotten better with her aim."

Helga asked, "Where is the girl?"

"She is at the Gryffindor Castle," Gavi explained. "We decided that she needed a chance to simmer down before she saw anyone again. And I thought Godric had a temper. It is nothing in comparison to Isva. But she will be gone until the day before Christmas Eve."

"How is Salazar?" Hermione questioned. Even though he hated insulted her, she still felt a need to see if he was alright. She didn't know why by a constriction came of her stomach muscles as she said his name. Why did it keep doing that?

"He is the Medic Wing. You can see him if you so please but—." The rest was lost to Hermione as she flew out of the Great Hall and towards the Medical Wing. She had to see if he was alright. If not she would kill Isva.

Hermione ran into the hospital wing and found Salazar laying on a bed, face pale and eyes shut. He was defiantly unconscious. She didn't see Mavate anywhere near him so she must be in her office.

She went over to him and sat in the chair next to the bed. His dark hair was pulled away from his pale face.

She had never noticed it before but he was truly handsome. He had strong features but still there was softness to some points on him. His smooth skin would make any woman jealous in her time. All the women here were drop dead beauties with brains. His nose was well placed. And his lips...

Dear God. His lips were so damn good looking. They looked like two perfect...well, just perfect. Silk ribbons placed upon a white blanket. Two roses in a field of snow. Her cheeks began to burn thinking about his lips.

"Stop thinking about that," she muttered to herself.

She sat there, just watching him.

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A low thudding was pounding on his head as Salazar sat up in his bed. He put a hand to the spot but regretted it instantly. It took all his control not to release a yelp at the pain. He was going to kill Isva for this.

All he had done was get little angry and set the girl off. So he had said some things that weren't true. It had been in the heat of the moment. He hadn't meant to say those. He was just getting mad at the Granger girl for falling on him.

It wasn't so much that she had fallen on him. That he didn't mind. It was the way she made him feel. Something about her drew him to her. She was interesting.

She was so different from the girls around here. Sure none of the girls here could be considered normal. They were all far from it. Rowena was far too smart, Gavi was so dark and calm, Helga was far too much fun, and Isva…well, Isva was Isva.

But she had something that wasn't like what they had. Something about her was different. Something was so mesmerizing about her. Though she hadn't known it he had had Jinxy keeping tabs on her.

Something heavy was on his stomach. He looked down to see none other than Hermione laying on his bare—How had that happened—chest. Her hair was sprawled over her face as she snored lightly.

He looked around the room and was thankful Mavate was nowhere near. She must be asleep in her room next to the wing.

He ran a hand through his hair, which oddly was down. He never kept that massive amount of hair in his face. It annoyed his to no end but he would never cut it. He liked his hair just not in his face.

Hermione shifted on his stomach. She was now closer to an area she really shouldn't be.

Salazar looked around the room again. He had no clue what he was supposed to do. He had a sleeping girl lying on his bare stomach and chest in an empty room.

The only female experience he had had was with Isva. He was only courting her because Godric thought they would be a good couple and Isva was required to be married before the age of twenty-five. Actually it was more of the age of fifteen or younger. So this was a new thing for him.

"Salazar," Hermione muttered. "Stay away form Isva. I don't want you anywhere near her. She isn't good enough for you."

Salazar stared down at her with wide eyes. What the hell was she doing talking about him in her sleep?

He went to prod her in the shoulder when the doors flew open. Gavi walked in carrying a tray with a cup of frothing liquid. She stopped short of the bed as she looked at the two near the bed.

"This isn't what it looks like!" Salazar whispered frantically.

"I don't give a care what it looks like. I brought your medicine like Godric asked." She slammed it down on the side table. "Pleasant sleeping you two." She turned around and went right back out the door with a loud resonating slam.

Hermione raised her head and shook it. There was a bit of thumping in her ears as she looked around the room. She looked to the right to find herself face-to-face, almost nose-to-nose, with Salazar.

"Salazar!" she said surprised by the closeness.

"Hermione, glad to see that you have awoken."

Hermione's mouth fell open. He had used her name. Not her last name but her actual first name.

"What?"

"You used my name," she said.

"And?"

"You've never used my name before."

Salazar raised an eyebrow. He honestly didn't see why it was such a big deal that he had used her first name. It was her name after all. So he had never used it before. What was all the drama about?

"Is there something on my face, because you seemed to have taken it on yourself to inspect it quite profusely?" He watched with a smirk as she went a few shades of red darker even in the poor lighting that they were in.

"I was just making sure that your poor face was injured when Isva nearly kicked your ass out there." It was her turn to smirk as he scowled.

"She did—" He started

"Then how come you are in the medical wing, bed-ridden and bleeding, while she just had to be sent away to her castle to cool down?"

"Do you have the obsessive need to bug me to no end, much like the other women in the castle?" the snake founder asked. "If you too find that need then kindly wait until I am fully healed so we might do this properly."

"No, I don't find the need," Hermione scowled. "Though it seems like a good idea."

"Is there anything else that I can do for you, Granger?"

Hermione scowled at him. Why had she even bothered to come in here? This guy was a stuck up prick with the worse temper she had ever had the misfortune to be in the presence of. She would have been better if she had just let the girls kill him off and then looked at his ashes as she was carried past her in a box. She couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Granger, I know I am quite a handsome man but it is quite rude to stare at a semi-naked man, don't you know?" reprimanded the founder.

"I…I…I never!" she started, flabbergasted.

This man was just as bad as Draco. HELL! He was worse!

Everytime he spoke she had the urge to blast at least thirty spells at him. He always degraded her and made himself seem higher. And then if she did attack him he would probably go off telling her it was childish and that her monthly would be soon.

Why had she even come here to check on him? She wanted to kill him more than anyone (except Voldemort) she had ever met. He got on her very last nerves.

"Very well," she said, standing up. "If you will excuse me, I am off to bed." With that she turned, walked out the door, and slammed it hard enough to wake Mavate and give Salazar a headache.

Salazar lay back on his bed as Mavate came in, giving him bitter medicine and a glass of water, woken from the loud slam. She was complaining about "rude little things" and "too much noise to sleep" and "can't people learn to shut doors a little quieter".

This Hermione girl was starting to get under his skin. Something about her interested him. She never did anything he expected her to. It was like she was one step ahead of him doing everything he never thought a person would do.

He had never once had a girl get so mad at him that she walked out on him. Isva preferred trying to blow him up, Gavi liked to throw very cruel insults, Rowena was one to blast occasional spells when she was pissed, and Helga had never been bad at him.

This was a new one.

He was going to have to watch Hermione a little closer from now on. He was just a little more than curious to figure her out.

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Sorry about being so late with this chapter! School had been killing me! I have been trying to hard to write this chapter but I couldn't find the time to do it. Plus I got a major bout of writer's block! I am so sorry.

But here it is. I will try to have more chapters up soon. Damn school keeps making me busy!


	7. Time With the Girls and Guys

I finally finished this damn chapter. I loved writing this one because it is funny to watch the switching. Exams have kept me on my toes and haven't been able to write anything! And before that school was just being an ass. The usual.

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Chapter 7

Time with the Girls

Hermione sat back against the chair as Rowena stirred the potion that her and Helga had been working on. Hermione had asked to come watch out of curiosity and the two had, of course, let her tag along. It was interesting watching the two of them working side by side to make the potion.

It was odd the two of them got along so well. She had never once read that Helga and Rowena were the closest. Maybe it was because they were the two females of the founders. After all Godric and Salazar were supposed to be the best of friends.

She shook her head at the thought of the man. She had refused to speak to him since the incident last night. She was pissed that he was being such an ass to her when she had tried to take care of him. She had gone off right after he had finished insulting the female gender. She would have been better off if she had just stayed pissed at him and blew off his head like she was half tempted to do to Ron.

"Hermione, dear," Rowena said as she chopped up the roots that she had in her hand. Hermione looked up at her. "You are more than welcome to come and join us. We would like the extra company. You do not have to just sit there and observe us."

"No, no! I enjoy watching you. It is interesting to see two of the greatest witches working together."

"Two of the greatest? Hermione dear, you are so sweet," Helga smiled as she poured in a red liquid. She was looking at her while she poured the liquid in quickly.

When the liquid went in the potion started to bubble and issue a high-pitched noise. All three girls looked at the mixture with curious eyes. Steam started to froth over the sides and onto the floor. Helga got a little closer to the cauldron and peaked over the edge of the metal bowl.

Hermione sensed that something was about to happen and ducked under the table she was sitting at. It was quite as she heard Helga say, "It does not look—"

PPPPPOOOOOOOOOOPPPPP!

Over the edge of the table Hermione watched as green liquid flew to the walls. She waited for a minute and then peeked up. Her mouth fell open as she looked at the two women. Green sticky goop was spewed everywhere in the room. Helga was spitting some of it out of her mouth while Rowena was wiping it off of her hands. It was apparent she had covered her face because that was all that wasn't covered in the goop.

"Helga, what in world did you put in that cauldron?" Rowena demanded shaking her hands furiously.

"I just put a little belladonna root mixed with mineral water and a pinch of a shark heart." Helga wiped off her face and then shook her hands.

"Well, that explains it," Hermione said poking some of the goop.

"What?" Rowena turned to her.

"If you mix belladonna root and mineral water mixed with the ingredients you already have in there. They discovered in the future that if you mix those then you get what you just got. Be glad that you didn't add any lion's mane to it."

Helga looked at the hair in her hand. "Why?"

"It makes a deadly poison that will peel the skin off of bones," Hermione sighed.

Helga put the hair in a box and looked around. "This is certainly going to be fun to clean up this mess."

"We had best get started," Rowena sighed.

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"Godric, I need to talk to you," Salazar walked into his best friend's office. The Lion Founder looked up at the Snake Founder with curious eyes. He put down his red phoenix quill. It was his absolute favorite quill and cost a fortune. That was if his father hadn't own a bird.

"Still using that quill, I see."

Godric twirled it in his fingers, admiring the suns light playing on the gold and red feather. It was a gift from his father for his fifteen birthday. It was from his father's bird Fawkes. He had gotten the bird from his father who had gotten it from his and so on. It had been in the family for the past two hundred years.

"Yes, I still am," smiled Godric. "Now my friend what is that I can do for you?"

Salazar sat down on the chair in front of his best friend. He looked down at the floor, trying to find out how to say what he needed to say. He didn't want to hurt his best friends feeling.

Godric observed his friend with a worried eye. "You seem troubled, what is that bothers you?"

"Godric, do you remember when you said that Isvathtere had a fondness for me?"

"I do," Godric replied. "What about it?"

"Then you told me to court her because you did not want her to go unmarried for too long or she would lose all chance of ever finding someone?"

"Yes. You agreed with me and courted her." Godric went silent. Salazar looked up at him with curious green eyes.

"You do not wish to court her anymore." It wasn't a question.

Salazar sighed, "I'm afraid that courting your cousin is just too odd for either of us. We only are doing it to please you. She is one of my closest friends, not a possible bride for me. We both agree that courting is just not for us."

Godric nodded. He had known for quite some time that the two of them had just been playing along to please him. Still he had tired to think that maybe they would actually work out. He knew that both his cousins were nearing the age when men would no longer desire them.

"Why do you tell me this?"

"I require your help with something," Salazar blushed as he looked at the man in red next to him.

"You wish to court someone else?" That was one of the greatest things about Godric. He seemed to be able to read his mind and could say whatever made Salazar uncomfortable. This topic was particularly hard to speak of.

"Yes."

-----------------------------------

"Rowena," Hermione said. Helga had left the room to go fetch some house elves to help clean up the mess. None of them were very good at cleaning spells so they figured they might as well get the best at them. Thus the need for house elves.

"What?"

"Can I talk to you about something really private?"

The blue-headed woman turned to her. Her blazing gray eyes were focused on her with total attention.

"What is it, dear?"

"I've been having these feelings that I can't explain."

Rowena was almost sitting on Hermione's lap as she got closer to hear the whispering girl. Her ears were perked up to hear anything that the curly haired girl might say. She defiantly didn't want to miss this little bit of news. Even the smartest woman in the country loved her little bit of gossip.

"What is it, dear?" Rowena repeated.

"I think I have a crush on someone," Hermione said looking up from her hands with large round eyes. She was scared to admit it but it might be true.

-------------------------------------------------

"And who is the lucky woman?" Godric asked as he stood next to his best and, as of the moment, most embarrassed friend. His blue eyes watched as the snake founder fiddled with his robe. Salazar never fiddled with anything.

"That is just the problem," Salazar said looking up at the lion founder. His mind, for once, was a jumble of emotions and thoughts. He didn't know one thought from the next except for one little thing. He couldn't get one image out of his head.

"What is the problem?" interrupted Godric. He was kneeling in front of Salazar, head level with the black haired man. Their eyes were locked as Salazar tried to say something. Now Godric was just getting anxious to hear what his friend had to say. He gripped the other man's hand and squeezed hard enough to make Salazar yelp.

The snaked founder glared at his friend as he rubbed his hand. He was not a man of pure physical strength like his friend. He was a man of brains and charm, not bronze and steel. Plus, that had hurt like hell. "What was that?"

"Who is this woman?"

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"Who is this man?" asked Rowena curiously.

"Promise not to laugh?" Hermione managed to ask.

"You have my solemn word I shall not laugh no matter the humor with held in the contents of what you are going to say." Hermione had to take a minute to dissect the proper sounding sentence. She translated that it meant she wouldn't laugh.

"Alright, the truth is that I have a crush on…"

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"Who is this woman?" Godric demanded annoyed.

"I cannot bear to utter that name in fear of you teasing me," Salazar shook his head. He wasn't going to say something that was sure to make Godric roar with laughter and then beg more questions from him, just to make him laugh more.

The lion founder pulled Salazar to his feet and grabbed the front of his robes. "You would think so little of me that you will not inform me of what is troubling you, my dearest friend, because you fear my laughter?"

"Very well," the snake sighed, "I am fond of…"

------------------------------------------------

"Salazar Slytherin?" Rowena exclaimed in shock and delight.

"Yes," groaned Hermione, covering her ears. Now she wished she hadn't told the woman.

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"Hermione Granger?" Godric repeated, looking at his blushing, and nodding, friend.

"Aye," was about all he could get out.


	8. Never Crossed Their Minds

HAHAHAHAHAHA! I finally got the next chapter (and my FAVORITE one so far) posted. And it didn't talk me as long to do it. YAY! Well here it is.

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Chapter 8

Never Crossed Their Mind

The snow was coming down in buckets. It was like someone had turned on about a billion snow machines and refused to turn them off until the ground was covered by about ten feet. Which begged the question: Just why was she out here in this kind of weather?

Hermione sat by the lake, looking out to the frozen surface. The ice on top of it had to be a least a good foot thick. She had on a thick cloak with fur trimmings that was wrapped fully around her. Underneath she wore a customary thick arse robe-dress that all the girls wore in the castle. Though she wasn't a big fan of dresses she had to admit she loved how warm the little buggers were.

She had been avoiding Rowena for the past three days since telling her little secret. Ah! Now she remembered why she was out here. This was the one place that Rowena would certainly not follow her about, demanding questions to be answered, begging for explanations.

Even if the howling wing went up a few volume degrees it was still quieter than Rowena. She was still glad that the raven founder hadn't told Helga. She was at least keeping her word by not telling the other founder anything. Though the blonde was getting a little curious about Rowena's behavior.

In bottle, a wine bottle to be exact, she held was a waterproof fire that she was good as making. It was really warm in her arms. She could remember the first time Ron had seen her make one in the girl's toilet during their second year. His face had been so light up with amazement that she had laughed at him for a few minutes, along with Harry, before she could start making it.

Speaking of Ron, she was pissed at him. Now that she looked back on the few years that they had spent together she realized that he really had been as arse to her. Most of the time she spent arguing with him about what to do. And then she ended up in the right with him going that he had known that all along. All along her cute little white arse!

Her chocolate eyes ran over the ice again. She chuckled as she saw the giant squid; actually, the thing was only about as big as her now. In her time it was about the size of Gwarp. She watched as she saw the squid hit its pointed head on the ice once again. It didn't do it much good.

How long had she been outside? It was probably an hour since she had escaped Rowena's latest attempt to interrogate her on the matter of Salazar.

Salazar. The man of her current crush. Even she didn't know why the hell she had a crush on the man. He was pompous, annoying, degrading to her, and an all around jerk to her. Yet, and still every time she looked at him she had to try and not blush.

Now that she thought about it he was incredibly handsome. He had strong facial bones but still delicate. His green eyes were the same shade as emerald stones. His skin was pale but not too white. He had wide shoulders and his hips...well she couldn't see them under his large robes. Thought it was a guess, he probably had muscles to go with his very fine face. And there were always those lips.

Those full, elegant looking lips that were normally curled into a smirk. A smirk he had on his face when he caught her staring at him occasionally. She would always raise an eyebrow calmly while containing a blush.

Standing up, and brushing the snow off of her cloak and lap, she walked forward. She was cautious as her leather shoes touched the ice. In this weather, if the ice caved in, she was a dead woman. She cautiously moved her other foot onto the ice and waited a moment.

When she was sure that the ice would hold her up, she walked forward, footsteps slow and measured. The squid, taking notice of her sudden appearance on the ice, drifted below her, large tennis ball sized eyes following her, curious of the new creature on the other side of the ice. She stopped to watch as it tried to shoot ink at her, only to have it hit itself back in the face.

She let out a good laugh at that.

"Ms. Granger, it is unwise to walk on such unstable terrain in such weather," said a voice. It, naturally, scared her out of her wits. She jumped up and as she came back down to the ice, her feet slipped from under her, sending her down to her butt and on a propulsions course on the ice, spinning her feet around in circles.

She stopped as she hit the snow bank with her butt, head still spinning from the very enjoyable spinning trip. After taking a moment to steady her head she looked up at the owner of the voice.

_Ah, hell! s_he thought. It just had to be him, standing in his immaculate green robes, black hair looking like silk, and smirk worthy of Malfoy.

Standing up, she brushed her self off, yet again. "What do you want?"

"I have just as much justability to stroll around the grounds as you do, Ms. Granger," Salazar said in his cool voice. Really his insides were jumping from the sight of the blushing girl in front of him. The snow lacing her hair like little diamonds. The way her lips were red from the cold.

"You also have the right, apparently, to be an ass to me, don't you?" She said it before her brain coordinated it's response with her mouth. Talk about putting your foot in your mouth.

Salazar was taken aback. He knew that this girl had a tongue worth of a snake but this was a little overboard. She looked genuinely pissed about something. Most likely him. He hadn't even done anything to her.

"Excuse me?" he asked. "Just what have I done to you that makes you hiss venom at me like that of a cobra?"

"You—What? That makes not a bit of sense. Speak some damn normal English!" Alright, now she knew she was being a bitch but he just got under her skin.

"I believe that it was we are speaking right now. Unless I have suddenly learned to talk a foreign language, I have yet to speak anything but English." He crossed his hands over his chest as he watched her do the same over her breast. Now that was a tad distracting. She had a very lovely bosom that he couldn't help but stare a little.

Hermione snapped her fingers in his face. "My face is up here!"

"I quite know the body parts and their places upon the body, Ms. Granger. I do not need you to tell me where your face or whatever else you desire me to look at is. I believe that I am capable of that myself."

"Well," Hermione snapped," then quit looking at my breast, you jerk-ass!"

Salazar was now growing angry. He was going to pull out something he knew that this woman would never be able to do. "_Hsshssmm ssssiayhas assisaa_!"

Hermione's smirk got bigger as she heard him speak Parseltounge to her. A few years around Harry had taught her a few things. One was that she would never like Quidditch. Second was that boys could be so stupid when it came to being the hero and all that kind of crap. And the third was enough Parseltounge to know what he had said.

"_Ssaaiiasss hyaaassss nyassihaaasss_!" she yelled back.

Salazar was taken aback. She had to be freaking kidding! This one little girl that he knew could speak Parseltounge also? There was just no way that he would have that bad of luck. But yet there she was calling him a... He blushed at the sentence she had made. She was pretty good.

He was torn between yelling "How dare you call me that!" and asking "Just where did you learn to speak Parseltounge?" It was certainly a debate on what to say. One would certainly get her angrier while the other might calm her down.

"If you are quite done insulting me," Hermione interrupted his thinking, "I am going back to the castle." With that said she turned back towards the castle and started to walk towards it.

She couldn't believe him. She couldn't believe herself. This was the man that she had a crush on? Hah! Not anymore. There was no way in hell that she could ever like a man like him. Maybe she just thought he was cute or something. There was no way in H-E-L-L!

Before she could make it very far from him, Salazar grabbed her hand. She whirled around, half-debating if she was going to slap him, her hand half-poised to hit him. Instead he grabbed her hand, foiling that plan. He moved her arms so that they were almost straight down her sides. She glared up at him with narrowed eyes. She went to kick him where the sun doesn't shine. But he blocked her foot with his leg, effectively putting them off balance. His other foot slipped from under him, and the two went crashing down to the snow. Hermione landing on his chest.

Hermione was annoyed as hell to be lying on the snake founder. She wanted to punch and kick him so hard that he would get bruises worthy of the books. But he, smartly, had kept hold of her arms and his feet were tangled up in hers, so that just screwed up that plan.

Salazar, meanwhile, was trying to figure out how they had ended up in this very compromising position. He didn't know whether to curse or thank his feet. It was his mind that was playing a few things he did not want to think about right now. Too many times had he thought about getting her in this position.

"Are you going to let me go?" Hermione demanded.

Her brown eyes locked into his green ones and she was surprised to see that emotion hidden behind his green pools. Lust and desire. She had seen enough from girls as they had watched Harry walk down the corridors. She had seen it in the eyes of people as they looked at their star idols. She knew that emotion quite well from other people to know just what he was thinking.

It scared her that that emotion was behind his eyes. Particularly when he was looking at her. She might have a guess what he might be thinking but she still didn't know exactly. She didn't like that thought.

Without so much as a warning, Salazar pressed his lips to hers. She was still for a minute before her body took control telling her mind to take a break. Her chocolate eyes shut while her lips moved against his. He let go of her hands to move them to that fine arse that he had been admiring for quite a few days. Her hands rose to curl her fingers into his very silky hair. Her hood fell over her head to block the snow from falling on them as they continued to kiss very heatedly.

She let out a low moan as he squeezed her butt and he smirked against her lips. He had to admit he liked the sound coming from her. When he caused it. It was so intoxicating to hear that noise from her.

Hermione, inside of her head, was pondering just how she gone from yelling at the guy to kissing the guy in the span of like ten minutes. Nothing added up as she reviewed all the facts. How had they gone from pissed to kissing? People didn't do that in real life. That was something for some stupid romance movie.

Salazar, in his head, was wondering why in the world the girl was kissing him. It didn't make sense that she should be kissing him, and groping him, after what he had just done to her. He couldn't honestly say he cared but he was just a little curious of the fact.

There was one thing that went similar through their minds:

The other person was a damn good kisser!

* * *

I can't believe how many reviews I have gotten for this story. I didn't think that any one would really looking into this pairing. But thankfully I was wrong. And this is one of my favorite pairings in the Harry Potter Universe. Well, I figured I put it out there and look what it got me.

Just a thought. If any of you have an idea for a story taht you would like me to write please do not be afraid to ask. I love doing ones on request.


	9. Did You Hear?

Chapter 9

Did You Hear?

Rowena sat on the large thrown chair with her hair swept up to the side of her. She had a book in her hands and was quite adamant about finally finishing it. The person, if she remembered correctly, an old Romanian philosopher, had sent her a letter begging to know her thoughts on the book as soon as she saw it possible.

As she went to flip the page to see what his thoughts on unicorn's blood were the door flew open. From the doorway a very frazzled Helga walked into the room. She walked in, her already large green eyes were even bigger than normal, instantly looking at Rowena before she sat down on the other thrown chair in Rowena's personal study, not so much as an invitation from the other woman. The other woman blinked her eyes a few times before setting the book down on her side table.

"Helga, is there something wrong dear?" the raven founder asked, tilting her head to the side.

The blonde shook her head, while holding up her hand. She was staring down at the floor; her thoughts were on other things as she concentrated on the intricate rug design. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. There was no way that it was possible. No. There was no way that this could ever happen. Not here, not with them.

"What is it?"

Helga looked up at her friend. "I cannot even begin to put words to what I have just witnessed."

Rowena, in an instant, was kneeling next to her friend, clutching her hand tightly. She looked up at Helga with worry. "What? Have you had another vision?"

Helga had the special ability to see the future through short random visions. She was getting better at controlling them as of recently and enacting them on her own. Sometimes the visions were of frightening things that happened in the future. It was not uncommon for Helga to come running to Rowena for comfort. Though Helga was forever the mother figure of the castle, Rowena was the one that could sooth anything.

"No, it was not a vision of the future that frightened me," Helga whispered causing Rowena to have to lean forward to hear her. "But it was something I saw just now, with my own two eyes, that caused such confusion for me."

"Please, Helga, I beg to know what is causing you this feeling."

"I saw…I saw…"

Just then the door flew open and in walked Gavillece, blue eyes looking at the two women with one raised eyebrow. "What are you two doing?"

Rowena gave her a sour look. She didn't like that Gavi had just burst into her personal study. Actually, this was odd behavior for the normally quiet girl. It was more Isva's thing to just randomly burst into a room. Ususally quite pleased with some new experiment that had gone wonderfully and come to tell Rowena about it.

"Talking," the founder answered. "What do you desire?"

Gavi gave a little shrug as she appraised Helga's rather overdramatic attitude. She had always known that the blonde could over react but she seemed to be going just a little far today. Gavi was paitent, with Isva as her sister and Godric as her cousin she had to be, but Helga was sometimes too much for the strawberry blonde to handel. Her emotional range equaled that of a teaspoon on the best of days while Helga's was closer to the lake out front of the school.

"I merely came to tell you some news about Isva."

Rowena suddenly went from quite annoyed with the girl to quite curious. Isva was Rowena's best work partner. Helga was her best friend but Isva had always token a special place when it came to testing, trying, and coming up with new spells. The witch just had a certain characteristic where you just loved her part of the time and wanted to strangle her the rest.

The raven founder took her seat back on her chair and motioned for the other chair, one that normally served for Godric, ironically, when they had meetings in her study. Helga had become all but forgotten. She then motioned her hands for Gavi to continue.

"She sent a message through owl saying that she will be returning in two days, just in time for the Christmas party. She also sent word that she will be traveling in a new fashion."

"A new fashion?" Rowena asked.

"Aye," Gavi nodded, "But she refused to tell me how it was. Merely that it will be something of a magic breakthrough. You know how she gets when she is pissed."

The other woman sat back against her chair, digesting the news. So the girl was just blowing off steam at Gryffindor Castle. Whenever Isva got pissed, angry, or too emotional she always went back there and created up new spells. Some of the enchantments were just short of foolish. Why in the world would anyone need to change their hair color? But others were pure genius. Like the Imperious Spell.

"Hmm…that is certainly something."

"Oh, and though this is not something I normally would do," Gavi said leaning forward. The other woman did also. "But I saw Salazar and Hermione walking around the castle, holding hands."

A hand went to Rowena's mouth. "Never!"

"Tis true, I swear." The Gryffindor woman nodded in all seriousness. "They were walking down a corridor, holding hands, and acting like love-starved dogs. It was almost too sweet to bear. I almost didn't believe it myself, and t'was I the one who saw it."

"Nay! It couldn't have been. The two can't stand each other while in they be in the same room. There is no way that could be even possible."

Gavi shook her head as she swatted her hand, knocking Rowena's words away. She couldn't help but enjoy herself just a little with this. "You believe I could come up with something this insane on my own? Never could I. You know all too well that I rarely gossip about anyone. I saw them with my own two eyes. It was unthinkable, to say the least."

"To think," the raven founder gasped.

"I know. And it couldn't have been an act."

Rowena looked back to Gavi. "Why say you that?"

"Granger does not present herself as a very good actor. She does not seem the type to be able to pull off something this… absurd. I had problem enough thinking my eyes saw true as they held hands. It was their next act that…confounded me!"

"What did they do?" asked Rowena completely entranced in the story.

"By the powers of all magic, I swear what I am about to say is true. The two, so opposite I thought them, never to even speak without yelling, or to look without glaring, kissed. On the lips. And not just quick little peck. But a long passion-filled enthusiastic one."

Rowena took in a sharp breath. She started at the woman opposite of her. This was just too crazy for the woman to think up but just almost too crazy to deny. She knew that Hermione held feelings for Salazar but she didn't think that the girl had acted on them so soon. Hermione had only told her naught but three days prior.

"Surely you jest?"

Gavi's look told that she did not jest.

Gavi stood up. "I've got to go. This was kind of fun, talking to you and all. Good-day, Rowena and Helga."

Rowena watched as the young woman walked out of her door and closed it with a light click. She sat back, quite dumbfounded. Not only had the quiet girl just talked to her but she had also given her some juicy gossip. So the twins did have some things in common after all.

She suddenly remembered that Helga was still sitting in the chair. She turned to see that the woman was looking quite sullenly at the door where Gavi had just left.

"Helga, what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

"Nothing," the blonde muttered annoyed.

* * *

Poor Helga. She didn't get to tell the gossip! She just sat there while the other's told the news. HAHAHA! I really love Helga but I just couldn't resist adding a bit of funny into it. Nothing much happened in this chapter other than you learn Salazar and Hermione are snogging in hallway and people saw. And Isva is coming back! THE HORROR! How will she react to the new little couple? What will happen at the Christmas party? And why does all this sound so dramatic?

For those who were wondering what Salazar and Hermione said…well, hissed at each other last chapter(I wasn't sure if that was what Parseltounge sounded like) I thought I would put it in this note. Salazar said "Annoying little bitch!" Which explains why Hermione, angrily said, "Burn in hell, you queer bastard!" Someone asked and here it is.


	10. There Goes the Neighborhood

This is about the fastest post that I've had in like, forever. Hope you enjoy this chapter. It is short, I know, but the next one will be way longer so don't expect it really soon.

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Chapter 10

There Goes the Neighborhood

Salazar tapped his foot impatiently on the ground. Leave it to her to be late, now of all times. He crossed his arms the other way, numbness starting to ebb at his feeling. His gray eyes traced around the corridor as he waited for the little witch to get there.

He had sent a message, through Jinxy, to Hermione to meet him in the corridor with the Room of Requirement on the wall. He had something planned for her, something that was made easier by the room's incredible magic powers that he knew she would love.

Ever since the kiss he found that he couldn't get enough of the little witch. He found himself thinking about her constantly whenever he had a free moment and even once, which had ended in an explosion and a charred book return to Jarvice, who yelled at him until he went hoarse, when he was testing one of his newer potions. It would take a little bit to grow back his nose hairs and to get Gavi to stop rolling with laughter every time he sneezed, shooting ashes out of his nose. She would never let him live it down.

The witch just had something about her. Something that made his thoughts turn to her. Now that she wasn't trying to annoy him every minute, he learned that she was quite the little genius. She worked hard; the few times they spent working on potions together (Oddly under Rowena's watchful eyes. Talk about awkward), she could tell a joke here and there. He had turned a bright red from one little Muggle joke she had heard while walking down a street. Her smile was lovely, her eyes were the perfect shade of chocolate, and her body was perfect.

He looked down the hall again, growing annoyed further. He had even written not to be late or Rowena and Helga, the two little partners in crime, might try to catch them again.

The two women seemed to have found about their little relationship. And neither seemed to want to leave the two alone for more than a nanosecond. One of them was always popping up to take Hermione away or to stay and watch, like a hawk, what they were doing. Hermione and him hadn't had a chance to discuss what was going on between them in the short time that had passed. He wanted to ask question and, he was pretty sure, she did, too.

Elanora glanced around the corner as she walked down a corridor boredly. There stood Salazar leaning against the wall in all his splendor. He looked handsome and lovely as he always did. She was surprised that he was just standing out in the corridor, arms crossed, looking annoyed.

She knew why he was out here. Probably to meet that little slut, Hermione. She had seen the girl and him walking down the hallway, holding hands, and whispering to each other. So not only was Isva, the too tall tramp, hanging over her future man, but so was this future slut.

It was time she did something about this.

Pulling out her wand, she quickly did a spell that turned her into a perfect Hermione double. She looked down at her body, quite annoyed that the girl's boobs were only half the size of her own. Hermione was a flat chest scrub board!

After making sure she looked all right in a window reflection across the hall, Elanora walked over to Salazar. His gray eyes turned to her and he smiled as he saw her. She wished that he would smile at her when she looked like herself not like this little slut. But she would work with what she had right now.

"Hermione," Salazar whispered softly, holding out his hand. Elanora put her hand in his, smiling lightly at him as she did so. He pulled her towards him, grabbing her other hand with his other. His smile didn't seem to want to leave as he looked at her.

"Salazar," she purred, her voice sounding just like Hermione's. "I truly did not mean to be late."

"It—" BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM! Elanora/Hermione went flying back from Salazar, who, on instinct, pressed against the stone wall.

"ISVATHTERE!" Salazar shouted in outrage. Isva stood at the end of the wall, glaring at the girl at the end of the hallway who was having a time getting to her feet. Her hands were clenched into fist as she stormed forward, completely ignoring Salazar's stuttering.

Isva loomed over Elanora/Hermione like a large bird of prey and Elanora suddenly had the urge to run for her life. Isva's eyes glowed red from some unknown source that just scared the girl.

Before anymore could be done, Hermione walked around the corner. Salazar looked from the Hermione on the floor, cowering from Isva to the Hermione at the end of the corridor, who looked very confused by the whole scene. Isva grabbed the Hermione on the ground by the neck while her ruby red dress-robes fanned from the sheer magic energy radiating from her.

"Isva?" asked Salazar as Isva walked over to him, holding the Hermione she had up in the air.

"Top of the evening to you, Salazar," Isva grinned, her eyes going back to the normal blue they were. "I must say that this was not how I planned to return but, sadly, fate does not seem to want to give us a break."

"What is going on?" asked the real Hermione coming down to stand before them. She had just gotten a note from Salazar to come and meet her in front of the Room of Requirement and when she arrives she sees Isva holding a copy of her in the air and Salazar looking very confused. What was going on?

"Oh, my apologies," Isva smiled. "I just arrived a moment ago and was walking to go to my sister's room when I came across Elanora"— with that she waved her wand while muttering a spell, revealing Elanora—"here turning herself into Hermione."

"Elanora!" Hermione gasped. "What were you thinking?"

"Salazar is mine," she squeaked out.

"Yes, I was sure that was the reason for her little Hermione escapade. Thanks to Gavi's little owls to the castle I was able to keep up. Salazar, my apologies for what just happened, and Hermione, good to see you. Have a good night." With that the woman walked away with Elanora in tow.

"What was that?" Hermione asked, watching as the two women went around the corner.

"That was Isvathtere," Salazar sighed.

Hermione would never quite understand the girl but she had learned one thing. Isva had returned. This did not bode well for her, especially with her newly developing feelings for Salazar. This woman's return could not mean anything good for her already fragile love life. She did not know rather the woman was here to take her man back but Hermione was going to put up a good fight if she did have to.

Salazar was more than a little nervous to see the woman back. He didn't know if Gavi had informed her about what might be developing between him and Hermione. Even so, he knew that the woman was very possessive and never gave up anything without one hell of a fight. This was just wonderful.

"HERMIONE?" called the unmistakable voice of Helga. Hermione groaned as she realized that the blonde had somehow managed to follow her even after she had tried her hardest to evade the woman for the past thirty minutes.

"In," Salazar instructed. Hermione scrambled into the room as he held open the door.

----------------------------------

Helga walked around the corner, looking frantically for the girl. Rowena and she had agreed that the girl should not be left alone with Salazar. He was far too old for her and was not a suitable match, even if the little brunette did like the man.

She was surprised to see Isva walked down the corridor. "Isva?"

"Helga!" Isva pulled the blonde into a sweeping hug, making the blonde all but forget about Hermione.

"When did you return?" Helga asked happily.

Isva smiled as they walked away from the corridor that she had just been talking to Salazar and the two Hermiones. "Moments ago. I was on my way to see my sister and cousin. Might you know where they are located?"

"I'm so glad that you could come in time for the Christmas party tomorrow," Helga smiled. "We didn't know if you would make it in time to enjoy the holiday with us. Gavi said you might have to stay away for the holidays because you were in bad humor. But you seem in fine spirits to me. In fact you seem to be much better." Isva rolled her eyes at the woman's rant as they walked to the Great Hall.

* * *

Uh oh. Isvathtere is back. Are new little lovebirds are a little nervous about her being back in the castle. Is she there to ruin her relationship and take back what, by right, is hers? And why does it sound like the Christmas party is going to have few surprises?

Anyways, after that very foreboding note up there, I hoped you guys liked this chapter. Nothing much really happened except for a little fighting between the very odd love triangle. Bet you guys can't guess what happens at the Christmas party! I'd love to see you try.

Oh, little side note, Isva's eyes glow red sometimes when she uses her little innate powers. While Salazar can speak with snakes (Parseltounge) Isva has the power of Instant Combustion. Her eyes glow red and the something will randomly explode. That was what hurt Salazar in Chapter Five.

KEEP REVIEWING!


	11. Christmas Party Part 1

I know it has been a little while since I have updated and this chapter is kind of short but here it is anyways.Hope you enjoy and keep on reading.

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Chapter 11

Christmas Party Part 1

Rowena strolled into the Great Hall, curious to see what the house elves had done with the place. Last year they had done a brilliant rendition of the hall that it had left the staff in awe of their skill. Only she was allowed to see what the hall looked like before the elves were done after about a month of convincing the little buggers more than a four years ago.

Magicing open the doors with her wand her jaw fell in amazement. The house elves had really out done themselves this year. This had to be their best so far.

Twelve huge Christmas trees were set up with amazing looking decorations of red, white, gold, silver, and green. There was snow falling down from the ceiling charm that Rowena herself had put into the tiles as they had built it. Garland and wreath were hung on the walls laced with real ice. The great tables were set along the sides while a great dance floor had been set up.

Every Christmas since the castle had been built, just about four years ago, the staff had held a large lavish Christmas party for all the local witches and wizards. Normally it was the rich and the noble blooded ones that attended the ball from all over the continent. They had even had two Chinese wizards appear two years ago. The usual outcome was about a hundred to hundred fifty people attended the party. So it was a big party, needless to say. This year's theme was a masquerade.

"My goodness," Rowena gasped. "You elves certainly have out done yourselves."

The head elf, an elf named Twinkle and Isva's favorite elf, smiled as she heard that. "Morning, Madam Ravenclaw. Are you pleased with the outcome of the Hall?" The elf's big eyes loomed at the woman.

"It looks splendid and it is not even completed. You elves are doing an amazing job with the Hall."

"Twinkle is—Oh, begging pardon—I am glad that Madam is pleased," Twinkle bowed as she turned as two elves came running over to her. "That ribbon is being hung over there."

"What was with the correction Twinkle?" Rowena asked. Rowena had always known the elves to speak in third person. It was odd to hear them speak in first.

"Mistress Isvathtere is teaching me to speak properly," Twinkle grinned from ear to ear. "She is so kind to Twinkle!"

"I'd best let you go back to work," Rowena said. "I can hardly wait for the party tonight."

"Bye Madam," Twinkle squeaked before running over to help some elves trying to stop a tree from catching fire.

Rowena walked out of the hall with a smile. This was going to be a fun party tonight.

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Helga knocked lightly on Hermione's door, waiting for the young girl to answer. She twirled her wand around in her fingers as she looked around the hall. The door creaked open and Hermione's young face bobbed into view.

"Helga?" she asked, curious as to what the older woman wanted.

"Hello, my dear. Might I come in?"

Hermione moved to let Helga in and then shut the door. She had only woken up about an hour ago so she was still a little rumpled looking in her silk night gown. Helga walked over to one of the couches and sat down as the young girl walked over to the other one.

"Not that I don't love your visits, Helga, but just what do you want?"

"My dear, you do know what tonight is, don't you?"

"Uh, Christmas Eve?" Hermione shrugged.

Helga looked shocked. "It is the Christmas party!"

"That is nice," Hermione shrugged. "Just how does that lead you coming to my room?"

"I'm here to design your dress!"

"HUH?" was all Hermione got out before the older woman pulled out her wand and turned the room into an old looking tailor shop.

Two hours later, after much struggle, a little bit of shouting, a few threats issued, even a few spells launched, Hermione was standing on top of the platform in her finished dress.

Hermione looked in the mirror, eye wide as she looked at her reflection. She was suddenly reminded of her fourth year at Hogwarts with the Yule Ball. Well, she defiantly didn't have this nice of dress during that dance. Maybe this was where the Yule Ball had started.

"Helga, I don't know what to say. This looks spectacular."

Helga was circling around the girl and finally stopped. "I really did out do myself this time."

"Helga," Hermione gasped looking at her reflection. "This is amazing."

"Well, I think you look like a Queen, and I should say I know something about queens with my cousin being one. I am going to go prepare myself for the ball tonight, which you are certainly going to be the most starling thing there. I will see you in an hour where you are sure to dazzle Salazar. Oh, yes, dear, I most certainly know about your little crush on the man. Rowena accidentally let it drop at breakfast a few days ago. Work everything you have and goad that man." There was no need to tell her that she had seen them kissing in the hallway.

"Thank you, Helga," Hermione grinned. As Helga turned to walk away she was stopped as Hermione called out. "Umm… Helga?"

"Hmm?"

"How old is Salazar?" Hermione went a bright shade of red. She had just realized that she didn't know how old the man she liked was. She didn't know how old any of the founders were, as a matter of fact.

"He is twenty-three. Did you not know?"

"I don't know how old any of you are," the girl admitted.

"Well, Rowena, Godric and Salazar are all twenty three. I am just twenty two. Isva and Gavi are both twenty two also. Jarvice is twenty eight, Kalen is twenty five, Norse is fifty three—he is the oldest—, and Mavate and Elanora are both twenty one."

"Oh, wow…I thought you guys were older than that."

Helga looked at the younger girl, shocked. "How old did you think we were?"

Sensing the older woman's sudden outrage, Hermione began to backpedal. "I didn't think you were that old! You certainly don't look it. But all the books describe you as these great wise wizards and most people, it only seems natural, that you would be kind of, well, old."

"So to be wise is to be old?" Helga crossed her arms over her chest. "You seem to be weather wise for someone who is younger than us. I have never seen a girl that had such a sad look in her eyes or so dark featured when something happens. We have all seen times beyond our years. It is just how you use it, that is how it shows how truly wise you are. We used our wisdom and years to build a school so that no one would face the same difficulties as us. You used yours to…do what ever you do."

Hermione turned back to the mirror feeling rather foolish. She had upset the poor woman without actually having met to.

"Don't worry, dear," Helga said, brushing off the thought like a bit of dust. "I will see you at the ball in an hour."

-------------------------

The Great Hall looked amazing. The twelve magnificent Christmas trees stood in parts of hall decorated with icicles, magnificent decorations of gold, silver and other Christmas time colors. A banner hung on the ceiling with the combined symbol of the Founders. Red and green candles floated around. Snow floated down from the ceiling to stop before it hit anyone walking around. Icicles hung like they had always been part of the roof. A long table with finger foods was laid out to be picked from. A band on the staff stage played a soft music.

At least two hundred people in their finest attire loitered around the large hall. Some were dancing on the dance floor near the stage. Women were dressed in elaborate dresses with their hair pulled into extravagant styles that could only belong to witches. The men were in fine robes with plumed chest and fine leather boots. All of them wore mask, some of them with feathers, others with glittering jewels. Some walked in couples while others milled around in groups.

Isva watched the people with growing boredom. You figured when you got two hundred witches and wizards together they would have some fun. But no. All of the damn stiffs just wanted to mill around like those stupid Muggle parties that was only made interesting when the king's concubine got in trouble with the Queen or something like that.

She looked good in her dress. It was a deep ruby red dress with gold lining at the bottom. It was snug around her breast with a little bit of cleavage showing. The sleeves had slits on top of her arm and connected back with a ring on her middle fingers. A phoenix was sewn with gold thread on the bottom of her dress. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant braid with gold lace weaved into it. Her mask was that of a phoenix, red and gold feathers coming off to the sides.

Isva walked over to the table and picked up a goblin head. It was a chocolate treat.

She put it to her lips and then felt a hand on her back. Turning around she came face to face with glaring gray eyes from behind a jeweled mask of a basilisk.

"Salazar?" she asked. "What happened to you?"

"Helga went a little overboard this year," he hissed. He was dressed in green tights knee high black boots. He had on a tunic with silver streams on top of the dark green fabric. He wore a coat over that dragged around him with silver lining around the hem. She could see the head of silver snake on the back of his cape. The hood hung around his shoulders. His hair was braided back.

"You look good," Isva smiled, looking over the man.

Salazar felt himself flush under the inspection of the woman. Her blue eyes roamed over his body and he felt more than stripped bare. "Thank you," he managed to get out.

"I do believe that these parties are always more entertaining when everyone gets drunk during the last hour. Remember last years?" Salazar had to chuckle at the thought.

"Too true."

"Where is your new little girl, Hermione?" Isva asked, tapping her fingers along her arm.

Salazar went red in the cheeks again but thankfully the mask hid the redness. His gray eyes darted to Isva's concealed face, except for her piercing blue eyes and lips. He took a deep breath. So, she did know that he no longer was courting her. Now it was time to break the news to her.

Before he could speak she started talking. "I'm glad you discovered someone that actually pleases you. T'was fun courting with you, but you really do need someone that actually likes you in a romantic way. But I know that I will never be more than a friend to you."

He didn't get a chance to respond as Isva gasped. He looked and couldn't help but gasp either.

In-between the great chestnut doors stood Hermione. Her dress was amazing. It was a white color with a light sheen of glittering dust over it. The sleeves were long and stopped at her wrist. Her bodice was a corset with gold ties holding it. The dress went down to the ground and had a large split down the middle. Underneath the first fabric was a pale white with gold flowers sewn in. She had on white high heeled shoes. Her hair was pulled up in bun at the crest of her head with white flowers laced into the fishnet weave that was keeping the bun together. Her mask was a simple white strip over her eyes with glittering diamonds on it.

Everyone in the hall was staring at her. Sure there were women that were dressed more elegantly and extravagantly than her and certainly better looking. But something about her presence. She seemed to glow like an angel fallen from the heaven, far too graceful and holy for this world.

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Hermione looked around the room, wondering why all the people in the room were staring at her. Did she really look that bad in her dress? Sure, she wasn't completely gorgeous like all the rest of the women but did she really look that bad that they had to stare.

* * *

This is just the start to the party, nothing much happens except introducing who is there, describing the room and that kind of stuff. I think there should be about another two chapters of the Christmas party and the action is really going to kick off. I know this chapter is kind of short but I will make the next one twice as long. 


	12. Christmas Party Part 2

At long last, the twelth chapter is here! Can I get a round of appluase for me? All right, not really. Honestly I had no clue how I was going to do this chapter because its the next chapter that is really important to the story. What's it been since my last post...two...three months? I am so sorry. My computer broke and then I had issues about locating all my last files and then I just got really depressed.

BUT HERE IT IS!

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Chapter Twelve

Christmas Party Part 2

Hermione walked into the room, curious as to all the stares she was receiving. This was as almost as bad as the Yule Ball when she had walked in with Victor. She could see people whispering behind their hands and stares that ventured to glares.

A flush spread over her cheeks as she walked forward, eyes still following her. She kept her eyes locked forward as she tried to find a familiar face in the sea of unknown ones. She had expected the party to be way smaller than this. There had to be at least two hundred wizards and witches in attendance. Just thinking about how many people were there was not helping her walk forward.

She finally spotted Rowena. Or at least she thought it was Rowena. The woman in question had on a dark gold dress that looked almost copper that dragged along the ground. The sleeves were long and trailed even as the woman held her hands up. Flowers were sewn about the dress in an elegant pattern and Hermione could see feather poking from the mask.

"Rowena?" she asked unsurely. The woman turned around and—Yes this was defiantly Rowena—gray blue eyes locked onto her from behind the mask. A smile spread over Rowena's lips as she looked over Hermione.

"Good evening Hermione," Rowena greeted the younger, very anxious looking witch. She could easily see that the young girl was nervous in the very charming gown that she worn. It was amazingly detailed, informing Rowena that it was indeed Helga who had designed the dress. Turning back to the two elder wizards standing next to her, showing obvious—rather too blatantly— interest in Hermione. She coughed lightly to get their attention but the two continued to ignore her.

Hermione felt her cheeks flush as she noticed the two staring at her. She didn't like it when people stared at her like that, even though people tended to do that a lot in this time. People rarely noticed her when she was with Harry, though they knew her better than Ron because she was so smart, but they never stared this much.

The wizard that stood on the left was dressed in a green foreign robe and had a gray beard down to his waist, tied around the middle with a red ribbon. He had dark green twinkling eyes that were focused on her slightly revealed cleavage. He said something in another language that sounded a bit like Chinese. She honestly had no clue what he was saying as he continued on.

"Now, Thain-Yui Tong, that certainly is not the best way of greeting a lady," chuckled a voice. Hermione turned around to see Isva standing behind her, arms crossed over her chest, ruby red robes flowing around her. Next to her stood Godric in the same colored robes, designed the same way as Salazar's robes but they were red and had a lion on the cape.

Thain-Yui stood up and looked at Isva with a sour eye. "My pardon, Lady Gryffindor. I fear I spoke just over my boundaries." His eyes clearly showed that he did not like to have to apologize to a woman. "Greetings, Lord Gryffindor."

Isva walked forward until she was right next to Hermione. "Tis not me, for it was not me you insinuated, you should be apologizing to. That is to be given to the lady you so uncurtiously insulted with that snake tongue of yours."

Thain-Yui looked taken aback by Isva's briskness. Hermione eyed the woman with a curious feeling. Here was Isva defending her from some rude Chinese wizard when she could have just laughed at her.

"My apologies then, Lady," Thain-Yui said with a bow. "If you will excuse me, Lady Ravenclaw, I have some friends of mine that wish to speak with me. Please come and speak with me later on the topic." He turned to the wizard on his left. "Care to come?"

The wizard nodded and followed Thain-Yui. The older wizards eyes followed them as they walked away. Godric had an annoyed expression on his lips as he turned back to Hermione. "I still have yet to see why we invite him every year when every year he—."

"Acts like an ass?" Isva offered. Godric rolled his eyes from behind his jeweled lion mask while Rowena chuckled behind her hand. Hermione watched in interest as Godric threw her a dirty look and the witch flipped him off. Then the elder witch's face lightened up as she looked over Hermione's head.

"Did I miss something?" asked a voice she knew all too well.

Turning around she was met with the cool gray eyes from behind a green mask. Only one person had such eyes that made her want to melt into his arms. Salazar smiled lightly as his eyes caught Hermione's before coming to stand with his arm around the young witch.

Her eyes flashed to Isva but the other witch was looking across the dance floor. Hermione looked up at Salazar confused by Isva's casual ignoring of the fact that he was touching her. "Why is she not getting mad?"

"She has no interest in me other than friendship and professional as she was so kind as to inform me a few moments ago," Salazar nodded. "She has her eye on someone other than me and saw it not fit to intrude on my relationship with you."

"She said that?"

"Well, what she really said was 'Hermione is a nice girl, I know that you like her, even if her ass is not as nice as mine, you should go for her,' then she walked away from me to help Gavi get away from a troupe of guys following her around." And he said all of this with a straight face.

Hermione couldn't help it as she burst out laughing, not even bothering to do the polite thing and cover her mouth. Instead she held her sides as she rolled with the fits of laughter. The other three wizards present looked over at her with confusion in their eyes, though Isva looked more amused then confused. Salazar looked around at the others with bewilderment. He had no clue what to do with Hermione laughing at…something he said.

"Hermione dear," Rowena said placing her hand on the other girl's shoulders, "Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes," Hermione said as she calmed down. She stood up and wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked at the other's faces. "Sorry about that. I just found something very funny."

Salazar looked down at the little witch and realized that he had no clue what to do next. He didn't know if she danced, and even if she did there was no way that she knew the dances of his time. He glanced up worriedly at the others and saw Godric as Rowena to dance.

Isva shrugged her shoulders at him as an imperiously dressed Jarvis, easily recognizable by his shock of silver hair and deep gray robes, walked before her. "Isvathtere, would you honor me with a dance." She looked shocked but none the less agreed to dance with him.

Before he could open his mouth Hermione was dragging him towards the dance floor. Obviously she wasn't going to leave him room to decided whether or not to ask her to dance.

In truth Hermione had gotten so nervous of being left alone with Salazar she had decided that the only course of action was to follow the rest and do the one thing she was positively dreading: dancing. It wasn't that she couldn't dance; its was just that she didn't like to. It madder her feel odd and very uncomfortable to dance in front of people. Her mirror was one thing, thousands of eyes a whole other.

Salazar placed his hand on her hip and the other he held in his own. Hermione put her hand around his surprisingly wide shoulders, mentally preparing herself to learn the new dance very fast but quite surprised as they began to dance something very similar to the waltz.

Twirling out with the rest of the ladies en masse of fabric, Hermione was forced to let go of Salazar's hand and swirl among the other women. Now she was in a pickle. She had no clue what she was supposed to do. Two hands suddenly grabbed her own and twirled around to face the Gryffindor twins smiling behind their mask. Gavi was dressed identically to her sister except for the female lion on her skirt rather than a phoenix.

The two girls began walk out to the center of the twirling women with her in between them, each holding one of her hands. The sea of women parted as each of the Gryffindor girls let go of her hand and began to spin away. It was then she realized that she was in the center of the dance floor, millions of eyes on her.

Isva and Gavi stopped once they were about twenty feet from her. They arched their backs, arms outstretched behind them, before they began to twist around gracefully in that position.

Without so much as a warning Hermione felt her body began to mimic their movements but not hunched over like they were.

She twirled elegantly in the center, growing dizzy as it went on, her hands flashing in elegant symbols she had no clue what they meant. The other two were at her sides as she began to rise up in the air.

"What is going on?" she demanded.

Before either girl could answer the large window behind the staff table crashed and people ran screaming. And Hermione fell to the floor in a slump.

* * *

Ummmm...Well thats about it. Now I need to know. Do you want the badie (badguy) to enter now...or shall we just make it something else. I think I'll let you guys decided how it goes from here and I'll morph my original story line to that. Winning suggestion gets the next chapter done in their honor with a speacial character of their design. (I like doing these becuase they actually let you guys help with the plot.) And since the end of the year is getting near (for school) I should be able to post pretty fast. You guys have until May 7 to send them in.

Many bites and hugs... Vampire Isirith


	13. Say Hello to the Little Firend

Chapter 13

Say Hello to the Little Friend

Godric turned towards the window as the glass came crashing in on the unsuspecting guest. The people ran away as glass rained down on them. His blue eyes watched in horror as three men in swirling black cloaks jumped through each of the windows, landing a total of twenty-one men. His hand instantly went to his sleeve to fetch his wand.

He moved forward as the women ran for the doors and the men all went for their wands like he did. Well all the women except the women that worked at the school alongside him. He could see Isva helping Hermione to her feet after that nasty fall she had taken. She then turned with her wand pointed at the men in front of them.

Out of the mob of men stepped a smaller, defiantly women shaped figure, competently covered with a mask. She looked at each person as she faced the room. She focused in on Godric who stood to the front of the room with his wand directly in his hand. Isva stood next to him on his right and Hermione stood to his left. Gavi was not far behind the three with Rowena and Helga.

"Greetings, great wizards," she said in a rather lovely voice. "I come seeking audience with you on matters that my Lord finds should be delivered to you, promptly."

"And just what the hell is so important that he found it so needed to send some whore of a messenger at us during a time of festivities. Obviously this master of yours has no morals," Isva snapped.

The women looked over Isva, blue eyes visible through the mask. She was obviously not happy with what the other woman had said, Hermione could see from her changed body language. The woman was now glaring at the Gryffindor woman.

"You are far too impudent—."

"While your master my permit you to speak as you please in his bed, you are in the presence of royalty, nobility, and people that are far above you, so you had best watch your tongue or it shall be missing," Isva said with a leering smile. "And besides, I like being impudent."

Godric tossed his cousin a glare. "Isva, hold your tongue." Isva shut her mouth, crossing her arms over her chest. He turned back to the masked messenger before them. "Deliver whatever message your master has and then be gone. We have little use for a disruption during our festivities."

"Great wizards of Hogwarts, enjoy your festivities for now, but soon there will come a time that will far less enjoyable for you who think you are above all. A time that will bring to end the peace that you think you have instated. Then this grand school of yours shall belong to its rightful owner." With that she bowed and waved her wand causing her to disappear along with all the men with her.

Everyone in the room broke into a buzz discussing what had just happened. Godric glanced over at Isva, whose eyes were narrowed behind her mask, then at Gavi and Hermione, both of whom were looking at the window that was broken.

"So we have some one trying to kill us, do we?" Salazar asked as he walked up.

"It would seem so," Rowena sighed. "I guess we should start sending everyone home. There is very little we can do now and the party is ruined."

Isva took the mask off of her eyes, walking up to Rowena. "I will help you dismiss the guests." She followed the other woman, both deep in a conversation.

"Well that was a real party pooper," Hermione sighed. She thought back to when she had read Hogwarts A History but couldn't recall anything about the school ever being attacked by someone claming to be the rightful owner. And man she had read that cover to cover like a hundred times. But not once did she ever see a mention of when someone had attacked them during Christmas. Of course the book always called Slytherin cold and that Gavi was a kind person and Isva always had a collected mind. Obviously the book had some defaults.

"What are we going to do?" Helga asked as she brushed off some glass from her dress.

"I've got not a clue," Godric sighed. "We'd best get this cleaned up though."

"I'll help," offered Hermione. And then she fainted.

"Hermione!" Salazar shouted rushing forward to catch her.

--

Hermione woke up to darkness. She tried to recall what had happened. Obviously the fall had hit her harder than she had thought. The back of her head was throbbing nonstop. She was really going to have to stop these falls are she was going to have permanent brain damage.

Creaking her eyes open she saw that it was dark...still. It was still night it seemed. She around and was surprised to see someone next to her bed. Not able to make out the person she felt around the head that was resting on the sheets (the person was asleep) and felt silky hair.

"Salazar?" she whispered. Salazar jumped up and grabbed out for the first thing he could find. Hermione's neck. He shook his head as he tried to come back from the horrible dream that he has just been having. He heard a horrible sputtering noise.

"What the...Holy shit!" He let go of Hermione's neck quickly. "I didn't mean to. It was an accident. Are you all right? Did I hurt you—." He was silenced as Hermione put up a hand. His green eyes searched over face as she massaged her throat. He had always been a little less nice when he woke up but this was the first time he had tried to ever kill anyone. He couldn't believe himself.

"I am quite all right," Hermione said after about five minutes of massaging her now sore neck. She looked up Salazar's searching eyes and realized that he was mad at himself for hurting her. She reached out and put a hand to his face. "You have a bad dream?"

Salazar went a little stiff under hand but didn't respond. He continued to look over her and then abruptly stood up. Hermione watched as he took her head in his hands and started looking over her head. That was when she remembered that she had fainted in the Great Hall.

"What time is it?"

"About three in the morning," Salazar mumbled still examining her head.

"Would you leave my head alone," she huffed, moving away from him. "I'm all right, for God's sake."

He sat down on the chairs with a little tsk in her direction. "Sorry for worrying about you. You hit your head kind of hard back there."

Hermione shrugged off the worry by asking, "Has anything else happened since I've been out?"

With a shake of his head he crossed his legs under his robes. He really should have changed before he had come with her to the hospital wing. These fancy robes were just too well stitched to be very comfortable. But he had been too worried over her health.

"Sally?"

"Did you just call me Sally?" he cried in outrage.

A smile lit up on her face, taking his breath and anger away in a flash. "Knew I could get you attention. So, what's happened since I blacked out?"

"Lets see...Godric has been ranting for the past few hours from what I've heard from Mavate. Isva and Jarvis are locked in the library trying to see if they can find any useful spells. Godric thinks we might have the beginnings of a war on are hands. Other than that we got the guest out and most of the others went to bed. I've been watching over you most of the night until I fell asleep."

"Oh, so not much," she pouted. Right at that moment Jinxy walked in carrying a tray with a kettle, two cups, a plate with some herbs on it and was headed towards them. He squeaked when he saw Hermione.

Setting the tray on the table by Salazar and snapping his fingers to make ten candles light he threw himself at the sick girl. Laughing Hermione wrapped the little thing in her arms and was surprised with the amount of strength the house elf had. The house elf buried his face into her chest, tear leaking out of his huge tennis ball sized eyes.

"Jinxy. What is the matter?"

"You was hurt, Mistress," he cried in his high pitched voice. "Jinxy not like seeings you hurt. You's all purple in face. Jinxy was worried."

"Isn't that Gavi's elf?" Salazar asked in mild confusion. He looked at the elf with a arched eyebrow. "He's being a little over emotional towards you, don't you think?"

Glancing up at the man, she rolled her eyes. "Not anymore. She gave him to me two days ago. You think he's emotional now. You should have seen him when Gavi gave him to me. He practically cried in joy so much that he drowned us."

A grimace crossed the snake founder's face. "He seems a bit...overly fond of you. It doesn't seem natural."

Jinxy sat up, rubbing his big eyes with his little hands. "That's cause Master Salazar's elves be scared of him. He not nice." Jinxy shook his head, large ears flapping back and forth. "They's tell that Master Salazar always sneer and never looks happy."

Hermione had to contain a fit of giggles that threatened to explode as she saw Salazar's face get a look of astonishment. He looked thoroughly pissed to be being insulted by the little elf.

Only then did Jinxy look up to see just who it was he was talking to. The house elf's eyes grew huge as he looked at the rather pissed Parseltongue master glaring at him. He squeaked and jumped behind Hermione.

"Jinxy was not meaning to offend, Master," the elf said looking over Hermione's shoulder. Who had to admit was finding great humor in the fact that the elf had just insulted Salazar. "Jinxy was just explaining to Mistress that Master's elves—."

"You don't have to explain yourself, Jinxy," Hermione said. "He's quite all right."

Salazar couldn't believe her. She was just going to let a servant sit there and insult him with no regard to him. The elf should be punished for daring to speak out like that. No elf spoke to a master like that. It wasn't proper. So his elfs feared him...not liked he cared. The little big eared servants needed to learn who was the boss and his knew it quite well.

Hermione noted the emotions flashing through the founder's eyes. Here it comes, she thought boredly. And this elf wasn't even her fault. The blame was all on Gavi. The elf had had no problem informing her that Gavi had let the elfs in her service talk how they wished. For that all the elves she had liked her and were all highly opinionated. Hermione had asked her why she did that. The strawberry blonde had looked at her with cold blue eyes and replied, "I care not for talking too much and seeing as they wish to talk, I allow them to."

"Before you go all 'How dare you let this insignificant creature speak to me like this' it wasn't me who taught him to be a free thinker. It was totally Gavi."

That made him pause. "Gavi? As in Gavillece, the woman who barely speaks two words or more in an hour? The woman who prefers to stare at someone until they get incredibly uncomfortable and then look away? The woman—"

"We've got it," Hermione interrupted, shaking her head as she patted Jinxy's head. The elf looked up at her and gave a big smile. "I'm pretty sure she is all those things around you but that doesn't mean she isn't different in private."

Salazar thought about that for a minute, and then shrugged. "Point. I suppose I can forgive the little elf."

"You's most nice Master," Jinxy said with a bow. Then he looked up at Hermione curiously. "See. He's not such a stick up his ass, as Mistress says."

Hermione blushed furiously as she caught the raised eyebrow Salazar was giving the elf. "Jinxy—"

"Dear elf," Salazar smiled, which looked creepier than normal, "I think you and I need to have a talk about what your Mistress says."

There. I finally got the next chapter up. I'm coming up to a little writers block, so if you wanna throw some ideas out for this one, please do so. I'm working on A Little Mishap and some others so this got thrown on the back burner. I'll try to update sooner rather than later. SORRY!


	14. Do You See What I See?

As my computer hates me (heavy sigh while shaking head) it wouldn't let me upload. So to be nice, I worked extra hard on these two chapters. That's right. For my delay I put up two chapters for my readers. I love you guys for sticking with me so long. I know I take forever to post and everything but thanks. So here it is.

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Chapter 14

Do You See What I See?

Helga sat in her room, braiding her very long hair with long green and red ribbons. Even though the party had been a total ruin, Christmas was still tomorrow so the castle was trying to remain in a cherry mood despite the very sour start to it all. But they were really going to have to work on it.

She was wearing a dark green dress with jeweled flower patterns and fur hemming. Standing up, she walked out the door and into the hall, her boots clicking on the cold stone floor.

Even she was a little depressed after all that had happened last night and in the past few days. This wasn't the first threat that they had received to take over the castle, a major powerhouse of a bunch of magic, and it certainly would be the last. But this was the first one that had managed to actually enter the castle without their notice.

The castle was a prime target for evildoers that wanted a place with a lot of power built in. After all, every teacher in here had put a touch of their own magic to make it so the school was a perfect place to teach young defenseless wizards and witches.

Helga couldn't help but be worried about the kind of power the messenger's master actually had. He obviously was either very stupid to be messing with them or had a very good plan for taking them down. Shaking her head, she turned into the Great Hall where all the other's sat, eating and talking amongst themselves.

Hermione waved from her seat next to Salazar and motioned for the empty seat next to her in-between Isva who was conversing with a gloomy looking Godric. All of them wore the same festive colors of gold, silver, green, and red but none of their faces showed the same festivities.

Helga sat down between the girls and started helping herself to the food. Her green eyes locked onto Gavi's across from her as the blue-eyed girl started eating a croissant. She could see that the same question was in her eye that was in Helga's mind.

"As I'm usually the one to break the proverbial ice, I shall go ahead as I do best," Isva said finally. Helga knew that there was no way the girl was going to let it be that quiet. "We all have thoughts on the matter and we all need to share them whether we like to or not. So best let ye thoughts out fore we make ye."

--

After the very dreary breakfast, Gavi sat in her office, reading a book on new inventive spells that Rowena had lent her. She was finding some of them very interesting, particularly the one about enlarging objects.

"Mistress?" said a small voice. She looked over from her light red chaise, with a side table connected, to see a house elf with large blue eyes.

"What do you want, Lilly?" she asked the elf, putting the book to the side. Lilly was the only elf of hers that refused to speak her mind. All the other elves freely spoke to her and amongst themselves.

"Would you care to have a drink, Mistress?"

Gavi smiled lightly at her. "That would be perfect. Something sweet sounds excellent."

The elf beamed at her before running away to fetch the drink. She was not sure why she had bought the elf in the market the day she had gone but something about those big blue eyes looked so innocent.

A knock at the door came and she heard three elves squeak in surprise. Each of the teachers here had about seven or eight elves in their service, so squeaks were kind of common. Apparently one of the elves had let the guest in and was escorting him or her in. Looking over, she wasn't surprised at who she saw.

Isva stood at her door, her hair pulled up in a ponytail with hundreds of tiny braids falling down from it with dark red ribbons tied to the ends. Her dress was a dark festive red with ruby and emerald poinsettias on it. Isva always wore dark red, Godric royal red, and she wore light red.

"To what do I owe the honor?" she asked, slipping a bookmark into her book.

Isva sat down on the chair across from her, arms crossing automatically. "No honor, sister-mine. Just a new spell I want you to offer your opinion on. I think it may be our new secret weapon."

"As if you're being a Pyrodenator isn't enough," Gavi sighed, but her interest was perked, "You must venture where you know you shouldn't be near, sister." Isva flashed a big grin as she crossed her legs and put her hands on her knees.

Lilly came in right at this moment carrying two drinks. Obviously the elf had been expecting Isva to come. Now Gavi was really interested. She sat up straighter as her sister pulled out a small leather notebook. It was a notebook that Isva made all her inventive notes jotted down in one place. She rarely let other see it so Gavi was getting really interested.

"Kindly look at the thirty-forth page," Isva smirked.

--

Godric walked down the hall, headed towards the library where he was pretty sure he could find Isva. She used to take to hanging around with Jarvice in the book sanctuary. She might be there now.

Walking through the doorway to the library, he spotted Jarvice lying on a couch, book open on his chest, sound asleep. His silver robes were spread all over the couch and he was snoring lightly. The poor man was so tired from helping to get the Great Hall cleaned last night he deserved the rest.

Godric made to back up quietly, but much like most things, he didn't do it so smoothly. He hit a bookshelf and sent one of the wailing books off. It started screeching it's cover off as his eyes went wide. Quickly silencing the book, he turned to see a grumpy looking Jarvice glaring at him.

"Godric," he grumbled, "Tis had better be of the up most importance, my friend. I'm most tired." He ran a hand through his slightly gray hair while turning his dark green eyes towards Godric. It was obvious that he really wasn't happy about being awakened so abruptly after so little sleep.

"I t'was wondering if my cousin was in here, but it appears she is not here. I shall take my leave. My up most apologies for disturbing you, my friend."

Jarvice sat up a bit more, eyes piercing. "Isva has not come to call upon me for the past two months. I do believe she is avoiding me. Do you know the reason why?"

"Avoiding you? Isva? Nay, she's just been…busy," Godric hedged. He had noted that too. Isva and Jarvice had always been close but lately his cousin had been avoiding the elder looking man. She preferred to just avoid the library whenever Jarvice was in there.

Jarvice looked downcast as he lay back down on the couch. He put his hood over his face and put the book on the table. "She's in Gavi's room. Good-day to you, Godric."

"Jarvice…are you feeling all right?" Godric asked. "You seem to be not at your best."

The hood moved back to reveal Jarvice looking at Godric with a very annoyed angry look. His emerald eyes were narrowed as he sat up straight. "Just what makes you say that, Godric?"

A shiver went up Godric's spine at the cold look. He had to admit. The older man was starting to scare him senseless and that was kind of hard to do. He shrugged before saying, "Its just that you look kind of down."

"I can assure you that I'm a quite fine." Jarvice returned to the same laying down position with the hood back over his head. "Good-day."

--

Rowena tapped the point of her quill against her desk, thinking about how to word the notes she was writing. She was making notes on all the previous threats made towards the castle, based on letter, and other threats they'd ever received.

She was staring to get a headache from all the notes in the past four years the school had been opened. Honestly, did people have nothing better to do than try to take over something that wasn't theirs but somehow decided was?

Putting down the quill she decided that this could wait until after Christmas. For the next two days she was just going to try and relax. For God sake, it was Christmas Eve and all of them looked like it was suddenly the worst day in the world.

Course, having someone threaten to take you over, crashed your party, and insult you wasn't exactly the nicest way to get the spirits rolling. Sure put a damper on her own spirits.

By damn, she was going to have to get every one in the mood for Christmas even if they didn't want to be. This was no time to be a depressed grumpy and sad group of people. They could do that later.

She wasn't sure she was going to go about this but she was going to try. Standing up she walked out of her office, robes billowing around her as she stormed towards the massive kitchen.

What better way to get through to people then with their stomachs? First she was going to have to see that they were going to come.

--

Hermione sat curled up in Salazar's lap, curled up in fur-lined robes, watching the flames flicker in the fireplace. It was getting on to evening so everyone was settling down and getting ready for Christmas Eve dinner. She hadn't remembered that it was Christmas Eve until Rowena had reminded her.

The elder witch had summoned everyone out of their room to tell them to get out of the slump and cheer up before demanding that they come down for a festive dinner. And she hadn't offered a chance to argue before storming away towards the kitchen to tell the elves to prepare a lavish feast.

Salazar had his arms wrapped around her waist as he nuzzled into her neck. She had her hands on top of his. She felt him start kissing her neck as she felt his hands start to rub her stomach.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly. The whole mood just made it seem like she had to whisper to be proper.

"Trying to get in the Christmas mood," he said in a husky voice against her neck.

"And just how does this do that?"

"I am not quite sure but it is making a very good point of doing it." He turned her so that she was straddling him. He put his lips on hers and she sighed into the kiss. His lips were so smooth and soft they were almost too perfect. He ran his tongue ran across her bottom lip, asking for entrance. She let him in. His tongue slipped in and started exploring her mouth.

They dueled for dominance, which Salazar came out winner. He smiled as they pulled away for a breath. "See? Does that not get you in the spirit?"

"You were right," she grinned.

--

Smiling, a man turned away from the crystal ball he had been looking in. He could almost laugh at how stupid the Founders were at thinking they were safe. The stupid Seers only saw it as a way to see into the future but they had yet to discover that they could use it, with a few complex spells, to watch people through any other crystal ball. All it required was that the other person have crystal ball in the room.

He walked down the huge hall, his dark robes billowing out behind him as he headed for the meeting hall. Gold glistened all over him, giving him a royal look that he should have. He knew his servants would be waiting for him, to disclose parts of his plan that they would need to know and act at.

And things were falling into place.

He immensely enjoyed watching the stupid Hogwarts peons running around like they mattered. Well like some of them thought mattered. Some of them were actually important to part of his plan, after all.

One certain little ritual did need one certain little virgin and four royal blood sacrifices to complete. And they had so nicely put themselves in one place together. All he had to do was wait for the Second Full Moon of the next month.

"Master?" asked Kindaria, his favorite servant. She had long blonde hair, large blue eyes, and a perfectly body and face. Just as he had wanted her to look like. And she could blast spells off like the world was coming to an end. Killing without batting an eye, inflicting pain with a smile on her face.

"Yes?"

"The circle is ready."

"Perfect," he smirked. Things were falling perfectly into place.

* * *

I was really happy to introduce the baddie. And FYI Kindaria is the messanger with the ooky-spooky message from the last chapter. Just thought you might want to know. Other than that this chapter just gets the plot really rolling.


	15. Deck the Halls and Join the Chorus

And here is the second chapter I promised you. This one is more for a much needed laugh than anything. The next chapter should be ready in a few days. Hopefully it won't take me so damn long to update. SORRY!

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Chapter 15

Deck the Halls and Join the Chorus

Rubbing her eyes, Hermione sat up in her large king sized bed. She ran her hands over the light blue silk cover she loved. There was just something about sleeping in silk that made you feel better. She loved the creamy feeling of the silk against her skin and the fluffy feather pillows against her head.

Standing up, Hermione got out of the bed and looked around for her robe. Dressed in only a pair of pants she'd had Jinxy make her and a silk long sleeve shirt, it was kind of cold. She slipped the thick robe on and her slippers.

She smiled realizing that it was Christmas day. She brushed her hair back before running out, expecting to see the Common Room on the other side of the door. Instead she was in the living room-like center room. She could only look around as she remembered that she was still in the past. Harry, Ron, and all her friends and family hadn't yet been born. She hugged herself for comfort as she thought about all her friends.

She looked around the rather empty apartment like room, then noticed that Jinxy was missing from his normal spot on the couch.

"Jinxy? Jinxy where are you?" she called.

The elf came running from behind the couch near the large decorated tree, a medium sized leather bag held over his head. He had a big smile on his face and tinsel strung around his big ears. He ran right over to her, holding the package out for her.

"Hey Jinxy." She smiled. "What do you have there?"

"Happy Christmas, Mistress!" the elf cried happily. "This is from Jinxy!"

She took the bag from Jinxy, suddenly thinking that she hadn't got anything for him. Or anyone in the castle! Oh dear God. How could she forget?

"Thank you, Jinxy," Hermione replied. She took the package, pulling open the top of the bag. Inside she found nothing, not before realizing that the gift was the bag. She looked at the leather detailing and hand stitching in the shapes of snakes, lion, ravens, and badgers.

"This is really good. Did you make this yourself?"

"Yes!" Jinxy squeaked happily. "Does Mistress like?"

"I love it!" she cried clutching it to her chest. She then pulled Jinxy in for a hug.

A knock at her door got her attention. She put Jinxy down before walking over to the door. Opening the door, a hug caught her by surprise.

"Happy Christmas, Hermione!" Helga cried from her massive death hug she was giving Hermione.

"Happy Christmas," Hermione managed to pant out. When the woman finally let her go, she saw that Helga was still in her flowing green nightgown with a gold robe over it. Her hair was in a single braid down to the floor. A big smile was on her face as she looked at Hermione.

"Ready to come down for gift exchanging and Christmas breakfast?"

Hermione's face fell as she looked at Helga's happy expression. Now she really didn't want to be here. These people were treating her wonderfully and she couldn't even remember to buy them a Christmas gift.

"Hermione," Helga interrupted her thoughts. "We don't want any gifts from you, other than your presence down in the Great Hall."

"Oh." The older woman took her hand as she drug her down the many flights of stairs before reaching the Great Hall. It had different decorations adorning it then it had had yesterday. The hall looked amazing having been changed the night before. Hermione loved the new less over the top look. The hall looked more like the hall did during her time.

Hermione spotted the rest of the teachers near the twenty foot tree (it had taken four levitations spells and Brotus to help get that in), all still in their night attire. Most of the girls were in similar attire like Helga's and the men were in outfits similar to hers but with the shirts were longer.

Salazar looked over, his hair still pulled back like normal with a ribbon, and smiled as he saw Hermione. He walked over and kissed her on the cheek. Right in front of everybody. Hermione went a shade of dark shade of red as she stared at him. "What are you doing?"

"Mistletoe," he said pointing up.

"You two quit your lip locking and get over here," Godric laughed.

"Yes, please do," Isva nodded in agreement. "I want my gifts."

"Isva. You are being unbelievably greedy." Gavi, who stood next to her, swatted her shoulder playfully. Isva looked back over at her with a grin. The other of the twin just shook her head before taking a bite out of the apple she was holding.

"I beg to differ, sister-mine. Its believable for me." She reached down and petted Oliver, who circled around her feet. And the very tiny in comparison Artemis and Fluffers laying next to him.

Actually she noted that all the teachers had their animals with him. Kalen had Telman the fox on his head while talking to Jarvice with Ylever the black hawk-owl on his shoulder, busy cleaning his wings. Elanora was playing with Night, her dark gray cat while Mavate held her white cat Day. While Lefellaa the badger sat in Helga's robe pocket and Grevallis the raven sat on Rowena's shoulder.

That was when Hermione noted a snake, Hester, resting on Salazar's shoulders. He looked over at her lazily before going back to sleep. Salazar noted her attention on the snake. "He's harmless."

"Doesn't look that way," she pointed out. "What kind of snake is he?"

"Basilisk," the snake founder responded before he put his arm around Hermione's waist as they walked over to the group. Helga was already next to Rowena, talking to her happily.

After a small prayer was offered to God, Godric waved his wand to summon chairs for everyone to sit in. Hermione sat down in the chair behind her, finding it extremely comfortable. She pulled her feet up to lay them on the chair away from the cold stone floor.

"Now we should let the gift exchanging begin," Rowena smiled. "Who wants to go first?"

"I guess I shall," Helga said happily. She waved her wand, saying, "Accio." A bunch of gifts came flying forward, one stopping in front of each one of them. Hermione watched as each of the others bent down and picked up whatever oddly shaped gift was in front of them. She did the same.

She pulled up the mahogany box that was about nine inches long and seven across. It was etched with flowers and little birds fluttering about. Then she saw that her name was etched over where it opened in old English. Opening the box she found a pair of gold earrings with yellow diamonds.

"Helga. These are amazing." She held the earrings in her palm, before looking up at the elder witch.

"It's nothing," Helga laughed.

"Helga!" Gavi shouted happily holding up a leather book. "How did you get this?"

The yellow founder chuckled before waving her hand. "Merlin, the old dear, sent it to me but I've no use for it. He said it was a list of stars over Africa, though he hasn't named them all. He wanted me to talk to you about it."

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. There was no way that she could be talking about Merlin. The Merlin. One of the greatest wizards of all time. But he was supposed to have been born like two hundred years ago. So there was no way that this could be the Great Merlin that every one knew from lore.

"You can't mean The Merlin," Hermione said. "He was born two hundred years ago."

Isva let out a laugh. "No. She means Merlin the third. It his grandson."

Hermione felt her cheeks go red in the cheeks. Great, now she felt like an idiot for asking about it. "Oh."

Isva then did an Accio and summoned her gifts for everyone just like Helga did except that the gifts landed in their lap. Hermione found a small scabbard in her lap with a dagger inside. She pulled out the dagger with the ruby studded hilt to find an eight inch blade.

"I though that you needed something that would just make you think of me," Isva grinned across the circle of chairs.

"Its defiantly you," Hermione laughed. She put the dagger on top of the box as Gavi summoned up her gifts. At the end of it all Hermione got a leather notebook with her name from Gavi, a sapphire hair pin from Rowena, a gold ruby ring from Godric, a fur lined cloak from Mavate, a beautiful orange dress from (a very reluctant) Elanora, a stunning pair of pearl earrings from Kalen, a very odd looking good luck charm from Narcorsum, a peacock quill and color changing ink from Jarvice and a gorgeous emerald necklace with silver snakes around the stones from Salazar.

Most of the others got pretty much gifts suited to their personality. Isva had nearly cried when she got a huge long sword with a sheath encrusted with precious jewels from Godric and Gavi. She was still looking at it admiringly.

"Brotus, my dear, it is your turn," Rowena informed the very large man. Unlike the rest of them, Brotus actually couldn't do magic. Hermione had come to learn that he was half troll (big surprise there, considering his size) so he couldn't go magic very well. Mavate smiled kindly before doing an Accio for him.

Hermione managed to see the smile that lit Brotus' face before he turned to watch everyone open their gift from him.

A large wooden bolted closed box was sitting on her lap with holes all over the sides. She pulled out her wand and tapped the top of the box. Out of it came a snow white kitten with a black spot in the middle of its forehead. It looked up at her with big gray eyes just like Salazar's.

"It's adorable," she announced happily. She looked over at the rest of the group to see that all the girls had received the same present as her. Helga had a calico, Rowena had a gray one, Isva and Gavi had midnight black ones, and Mavate and Elanora had silvery gray.

"What do you think Oliver?" Isva asked holding up the cat for her panther to sniff. The large cat sniffed the smaller, quivering one before nodding his head. Hermione couldn't believe that the cat had actually just nodded.

Hermione's own cat looked up at her before letting out a meow. Her cat then let out a burst of flame as it hiccupped.

"Holy shit!" she shrieked.

"Brotus," Rowena huffed looking at the man.

"They breath fire." That was it. He said no more. Not much of a talker.

Hermione looked back at the cat. "I guess I'll name mine Dragon then."

"And mine is Eclipsa," Isva decided.

"I think I'll name mine Apollo." Gavi.

"Mine shall be Inspiration." That was so Rowena, Hermione thought.

"I'll name mine Sally," Elanora announced happily. Everyone looked at her disapprovingly.

Mavate shook her head before saying, "I shall name mine Idelsia."

"And I'll go with Labella," Helga said.

All the men looked at the same sized boxes, now wary what might come out of them. Hermione thought it would be funny if they had furry little cats too. Finally Godric got up the nerve and opened the box, cautiously.

Out of it jumped about the cutest little rabbit Hermione had ever seen. It had a little dark circle of black fur around its right eye but other wise was all white. Godric looked at the bunny in mild horror. His blue eyes were wide as he picked the thing up by its over-large ears. "You must be kidding me, Brotus."

"I think its adorable," Isva claimed taking the rabbit from him. "Don't hold it like that or I'll sick my panther on you."

"I don't think it a good idea to open mine," Kalen shuddered as Telman watched the rabbit like it was being served to him on a platter. He looked at the box as it hopped clear out of his lap and Telman followed gleefully. Kalen quickly grabbed the fox and held him tight in his lap. "No eating the bunny."

Salazar looked at his own box with an expression that spelled trouble. Obviously he wasn't a fluffy pet kind of man. Hester looked at the box then at the bunny happily bouncing around in Isva's lap with mild interest. He then said something to Salazar in Parseltongue before jabbing its head at the box.

"What did he say?" Helga asked curiously, playing with her Labella as Lafellaa, the badger, watched it annoyed. The badger wasn't a cat person…thing…either.

"He wants breakfast," Salazar sighed before hitting Hester in the head. He said something back to him in Parseltongue before lifting the lid of the box. Instead of a bunny like all the other's thought would come out it was a turtle.

"What is it?" Gavi asked as Isva passed the rabbit to her. "You're right. It is really soft." Apollo, the new cat, glared up at Gavi. Then proceeded to try and crisp the rabbit. Gavi quickly knocked the cat off her lap and handed the rabbit back to Isva while Artemis sat on Apollo. The cat's head stuck out as it glared up at the wolf.

Oliver looked over in mild amusement as he purred before cocking his head to the side, while Eclipsa started to play with his tail. He turned around and trapped the smaller feline under his large paw. He got a toothy grin as he looked up Isva, who merely shook her head. Artemis got a little wolfy grin on her face before she put the cat in her mouth. Gavi looked right at that moment in shock.

"Artemis, don't eat the kitty!" Gavi shouted as Isva started to roar with laughter.

"Having issues, sister?"

"Shut the hell up," Gavi warned as she grabbed Apollo's tail before ripping him out of Artemis's mouth. "Don't eat the kitty."

"I got a turtle," Salazar said in disbelief as he picked up the small green little circle. The turtle poked its head out and looked up at Salazar. Then it stretched some more and bit his nose. "What the hell? Get this thing off me!" He screamed very much like a girl.

Rowena quickly summoned the turtle and caught it in her hand. "If you hadn't looked so evil it might not have bit you."

"I'm going to make it turtle soup," the snake founder muttered as Hester chuckled on his shoulder. He threw a glare at the snake before glaring at the turtle who was playing nice with Rowena.

After a few minutes, and getting all the pets corralled back to the rightful owner (except the rabbit, who Isva held onto, and had named Charm, and the turtle who sat in Rowena's other pocket and had been dubbed Snapper, much to Salazar's displeasure) they all looked at Kalen, Jarvice and Narcorsum who had yet to open their gifts.

"Who wants to go first?" Godric grinned. Obviously he was over having a bunny now that Salazar had been bitten by his pet and mocked by the other. The three men looked at each other in horror. Apparently none of them wanted to be the first to get their embarrassment over.

"After you," Jarvice said in mock encouragement.

"I insist you go first," Kalen sheepishly grinned.

"I'll go!" Narcorsum announced happily scaring the rest of the group.

He lifted up the lid and then looked down at the box. Hermione watched as his eyebrows flew up in surprise. He tilted his head to the side, as if thinking about what was in the box. Then he reached into the box and pulled out a little puppy that looked very much like a German Shepard.

"Aaaaahhhh," Gavi cooed as she reached out to pet the puppy. The little thing looked over at her and barked happily.

Narcorsum looked at the dog held in his hands with mild disgust. "I'd prefer the rabbit."

Godric's lower jawed dropped as he shook his head in confusion. "Of course. The crazy one got the normal pet."

"Narcorsum, if you don't want him," Gavi smiled. Hermione was surprised that she even knew how to work those muscles. From what she had learned the woman never, absolutely NEVER, smiled. Ever.

The Divination teacher handed over the dog looking at it in disgust. Gavi then let out a squeal of delight, making Isva bust out laughing, as she cradled the yapping dog to her chest.

"Of course. It takes a mutt to make her smile." Isva shook her head in amusement.

Artemis looked up at the new addition and growled. "Artemis," Gavi warned. The wolf merely stuck out its tongue before trotting over to sit with Oliver.

Kalen then looked at his box and sighed. "My turn."

He pulled off the top and looked into the box as Telman looked in from the top of his head. The fox cocked its head to the side and then let out what sounded like a sigh. Kalen started to laugh as he pulled out a baby white fox. "Sorry Telman, no lunch for you in this box."

"Should have seen that one coming," Jarvice sighed as he looked at his own, still unopened box. He took a deep breath before he took the top off too. Ylever looked down too and then blinked his large eyes. Then he opened his wings and flew over to Isva's shoulder.

Isva looked up at the new addition on her shoulder. "Hi." She stroked his feathers as Rowena looked into the box too.

Jarvice pulled out a small little orange fur-ball. "What is it?"

Then the thing lifted its head up and everyone's jaw dropped. It was a tiger cub. It looked up at Jarvice sleepily before jumping off his hand. The cat then proceeded to look around until he spotted Artemis. He mewled happily and the tried to run over to the pissy wolf. But it tripped over its own tail and went tumbling into Oliver.

"It's a tiger," Isva said handing the rabbit to Godric and grabbing the cub before Oliver decided to have lunch.

"I hate cats," Jarvice grumbled. All of a sudden all the cats in the room glared at him. He looked around the room as the cats narrowed their eyes and hissed at him. Well Oliver and the cub growled.

"Want him Isva? I don't hate cats, I just don't want one."

"Big kitty!" Isva squealed hugging the poor cub in what might be considered a death grip. Ylever made a disgruntled noise before flying back to his owner.

After a little more talking was done amongst them. Most of the topics were defiantly trying to steer away from the break in two days ago. No one wanted to ruin the happy mood they had all managed to get in to. The remaining pets were then passed to whomever wanted them. Helga ended up with Charms the rabbit, Rowena with the turtle, Isva gave up Eclipsa to Godric claiming she wasn't a fan of small cats, Gavi kept her three, Kalen with his two foxes, and the rest with the normal pets.

Hermione smiled as she watched her new friends. She couldn't believe that she had managed to meet these wonderful people and that they had gotten her wonderful gifts, even though they had only known each other for about three weeks.

"Not that I don't enjoy sitting here, talking about menial things, my stomach is quite persistent in saying that we should get dressed for brunch," Rowena announced as she stood up.

Isva stood up too. "I would like to add a 'Here, here' to that."

Hermione stood up and walked out to the Main Hall along with the rest of the teachers. She noted that Isva had wandered towards Brotus. Curiosity got to her as she wandered over towards them.

"I told you that it would be a good laugh," Isva grinned.

"I had fun," Brotus said matching her grin. "That was a good idea with the men's gifts."

The two walked off talking about something else leaving Hermione shaking her head. They were certainly something.

Back in her room she saw Jinxy was lying on the couch he normally slept on, sound asleep. She smiled at the sight. The poor elf had worked him self nearly to death trying to get everything perfect in her slightly messy room.

Tiptoeing over to the closet, she walked into the large room, trying to pick a dress to wear. She chose a light red one with light silver trimming. That would work for her.

* * *

Hehehehehehehehehehehehehe! I thought this chapters was quite funny. I was laughing the entire time I worte this. I actually had a little help from my best friend (and inspiration for Gavi).I actually decided that winner for guest character (I know, I can't believe I finally chose) but PgmyPuff20 won. Plus I love the three stories they wrote.

Oh, and the students will finally becoming back to Hogwarts. They were all at Chrismtas break at their houses, since Hogwarts is still devloping and the teachers need a break, they send the students home, but they're coming back. And Hermione is in for a surprise when they do. I'm about halfway done with that chapter, and currently its is at four pages. Can't wait to get reviews for these two.

Loves. R&R!!


	16. They're Here

Chapter 16

They're Here

Hermione walked into the library, holding the note she'd been sent through Godric's elf, Cisca. After quickly reading the note she'd started to the library, quite curious as to what the man could want.

It was four days after the end of Christmas day, though nothing much had happened. Everyone had pretty much kept to themselves. Hermione had spent most of her time with Rowena and Helga, learning new skills from the great witches (which they still denied that they were). She'd also spent a great deal of time wondering around the grounds, albeit ass freezing in temperature, with Salazar, talking about everything in general.

He talked about his life before he'd ever met the other three. Apparently, his family lived in northern Brittany. She clearly remembered that conversation as they had skated on the frozen lake. He'd had his cloak hood down, his black hair pulled tight against his head still. He'd moved with such grace that Hermione could help but be a little envious of his fluid movements.

"I used to spend all my time as a young, looking out at the sea." Salazar had done a magnificent figure 8 right then before skating over to where she stood, just listening to him. "You would love the view. The waves cresting on the rocks that the Slytherin manor sat above. It was magnificent."

"I imagine it was? Where is Slytherin manor at?" Hermione had asked as she stood on her skates watching him with his fluid grace.

"The northern most tip of Great Britain," Salazar had answered skating over to where she stood. He wrapped his arms around her and put his cold cheek against her equally cold one. "No better spot to put a manor."

Stepping into the library through the large doors, she instantly spotted Godric sitting on a chair near the window, his eyes watching the clouds.

"Godric," Hermione greeted. "Why are you making me come to the library this early?"

"Because in a matter of an hour the students will be arriving," he yawned. He was dressed in long robes that looked a little more teacher style than she was used to seeing him in. He normally wore comfortable warm robes but these were a bit stiff, like he'd didn't wear them a lot. Around his neck he wore the Gryffindor family crest on a thick gold chain.

"As interesting as that is, just what does it have to do with me?"

A glint went through his eyes as he looked up at her. "I wanted to tell you that you're going to have to act as a student."

"But I've already graduated!" Hermione cried. There was no way that she was going to be a student for a second time. She'd already graduated once, and with merits one might add, and had no desire to do that again.

"How else do you expect us to explain your presence here?" Godric asked, stifling back another yawn. "We tried to come up with another explanation for your being here. Unless you can come up with another idea in the next hour's time, you will have to go with this plan."

She sat down on the over-stuffed chair next to him, mind whirling, trying to come up with some other explanation that didn't involve her having to go back to school. Yet she kept coming up with blank. In this time period she was the minor. A young unmarried girl and no technical legal guardian to protect her rights to actually do anything.

"What's the story I'm supposed to go with?" she growled out.

"You're name is Hermione Hufflepuff, a cousin to Helga, naturally. You haven't come to this school because you were on a journey around Asia with your family. Sadly your family died in a tragic break-in while you were in India and you just managed to escape. Helga, who held you in high favor, took you in and cared for you. It was she who recommended you to attend the school as you showed a high talent for magic."

"I guess I don't have much of a choice."

"Not really. Since you seem to be much more advance than most try not to show up the other students too much, will you?" Godric said with a raised eyebrow, eyes twinkling with enjoyment.

"You're enjoying this entirely too much," Hermione grimaced.

"Not really, dear. I'm not enjoying this enough in my opinion," he laughed as he stood up, the long robes sweeping out around him. Hermione had to try and not stare. Though she was getting better about forgetting just who these people there were moments where it stuck her: I'm standing next to Godric Gryffindor. The one that songs are sung about in the future. Who has his own house and I'm in.

"Godric get you ass up here!" shouted Isva from somewhere in the castle. And then there were moments where she had to just shake her head. Not exactly the noble and innocent heroes that most people thought, that was for damn sure.

Godric grimaced while looking at the doorway before turning back to Hermione. "We have put some school outfits in your room along with your schedule. Kindly remember that you are supposed to be playing a lady of nobility and you should try to act like one."

"Just how am I supposed to act?" Hermione asked. Of all the ladies at the castle none of them seem to be what she thought a lady of this time would act like. She expected a lady of this time to be very sweet, kind quiet and very obedient to men. None of the women in this castle were anywhere near what she had thought.

Rowena was far too smart and didn't have a problem showing it. Helga was sweet and kind she was nowhere near obedient. One didn't go telling her what to do. Gavi was as quiet as you could get but that was as far as it went. Isva was just about the opposite of what any girl of this time was expected to do. Wonderful role models there.

Godric seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "Just act the opposite of Isva is all I can offer. I don't really know what proper ladies act like, to be honest. When you spend so much time around the fair ladies of the castle you lose sense of how they should act as it becomes a normal occurrence for them to breech proper code."

"Thanks," Hermione said sarcastically. That was a load of help.

"Godric! Don't make me come down there!" Godric grimaced again at Isva's implied threat.

"I'd best go see what she wants." With that he walked out of the library probably to meet his doom.

Hermione shook her head before following him but heading off to her room. Once inside she found an odd-looking outfit hanging in midair. It was black with long sleeves. The skirt of the robe was wide and appeared to have a few extra layers underneath. A white shirt came out of the v-neck top and looked as if it would come right under the chin with a small brooch to hold it. The hems were lined in gold trim along with a gold cord belt around the middle and the Gryffindor emblem was on the right chest.

"That really is different from the future," she muttered.

"Morning Mistress," she heard behind her. She turned to see a large silver tray and two small hands on either side.

She quickly grabbed the large try from the small elf that was smiling up at her from under it. "Morning Jinxy."

"Mistress, you up very early. Jinxy was coming to wake you with hot breakfast," he said pointing at the tray. On it was a large stack of pancakes, a few eggs and a large glass of milk.

"Thank you, Jinxy," she smiled as she set the tray down on the table and plopping down on the couch. Jinxy beamed before running into her room. She watched in bewilderment as the elf came back carrying a large box that she recognized as the box Helga had given her. "What are you doing with that?"

"Master Gryffindor tolds Jinxy about what Mistress will have to do and asks Jinxy for help in preparing Mistress for school. Maser Gryffindor says yous be playing Mistress Hufflepuff's cousin so yous be needing proofs." Hermione loved the little elf dearly but all that bad grammar got on nerves easily.

He opened the box to reveal all the jewelry that she had gotten for Christmas. "Master Gryffindor says that students wears sparkles. Which sparkles yous wants, Mistress?"

Looking over the jewels she noted a small piece of paper sitting next to the dagger from Isva. Picking it up she unrolled it to see neat script across it.

_Dear Hermione,_

_Though I hope that anything terrible befalls you. The dagger is not just for decoration, my dear. The blade has forged by the finest blacksmiths in the land and it is meant to be used. I sincerely hope that this will never come to pass but I would like for you to keep this dagger on your person at all times. A wand might not always be enough._

_Sincerely,_

_Isvathtere_

Hermione looked at the dagger lying next to the necklace Salazar had given her. What did the woman think would happen to her that a wand would have no use and she would be resorted to using a dagger? Was more going on than anyone was telling her? Was whoever crashed the party more of a threat then they let her know?

One thing was for sure; she was going to carry around the dagger. Even if she didn't ever use it, the thought it was there would be nice. The box moved a little making Hermione remember that she was supposed to be choosing jewelry. She grabbed the yellow diamond earrings and the dagger.

"I shall wear these," she told Jinxy. The elf closed the box before grinning up at her.

"Yous best get ready Mistress. Classes be soon."

She nodded as the elf walked to put the box back in her room. The dagger felt heavy in her palm as she looked down at it. The fact that this was something that could take a person's life scared her. She hoped she'd never have to use it.

She hid the dagger when Jinxy came back into the room to help her dress. No need to scare the poor thing.

--------------------------------------------

"The little booger pickers are coming back," Isva grimaced, chin in her palm.

Gavi gave her sister an annoyed look. "Sister-mine, while your way with words are accurate, you should avoid using such terms around the students. Particularly when you are in reference to them."

Isva threw her sister a dirty look before putting her head down on the staff table. God she hated when the students came back. The nice little break she got when they left and she was able to act as she wanted was so nice. But right as she got used to it the little midgets with sticks, for that was what most thought a wand was, came back. So did the stuffy, stiff teacher robes and away with the comfortable ones.

"Isva," Helga reprimanded, "try to show some sense of being civilized."

Isva sat up right as the large oak doors that led into the Great Hall, which now had the four house tables back in place, to show the students. They were all dressed in the student robes that Helga had come up with. Nothing to bright to distract the little midgets, God knows they did that easily, but something interesting enough but still modest enough so the uptight parents didn't blow up at their attire. That was the only reason that she was even wearing the robe she was in. Her normal attire tended to be a little too….flamboyant.

The kids were led by Elanora who didn't look remotely happy, Gavi noted. Not that she was one to comment but the girl could at least try. The students were already nervous enough. For most of them this was their first time at the school.

The school had officially opened a year ago with only twenty-three students in their first class. This year they had a little over two hundred students, with a majority of them male. Only about an eighth were female because backwards-oppressive fathers decided that girls weren't worthy of magic training. Just the thought of that made Gavi remember her father.

A shiver went up her spine at the thought. She saw Isva throw her a curious glance. That woman was far too perceptive for her own good at times.

Godric stood up as Elanora took her seat along with the kids. He had a beaming smile as she survey the children. "Welcome back from cheerful celebration of Christmas. I trust that you all had a very pleasant holiday but you are now ready to resumes lessons?"

Gavi could see the student's eyes sparkling with the thought of getting to use magic. All of their wands had been taken before they left for break. That way no frivolous uses of magic would be enacted. It was a safeguard incase they were amongst Muggles and decided to have a bit of fun.

It had been a few years ago when the planning for the school had been underway without any notice to the Wizard's Council. The Wizard's Council, essentially the ruling body of wizards from prominent families who gathered to make regulations on the uses of magic and laws all wizards had to follow, had summoned all of them to demand to know what they were doing. None of them had liked the idea that a bunch of underage wizards would be gathered in one spot so that discovery would be made more plausible.

Gavi could remember that convening very well.

It had been only Godric, Salazar, Rowena, Helga, Isva, and herself at the time. Her and Isva, the youngest of the group, had barely been eighteen for more than a few days then. They were on a platform with rails around it and manacles attached to it. The Council was all seated on raised stadium seats, looking down imperiously.

"For what reason do you summon us here? What right do you hold over us?" Godric, barely nineteen, had demanded.

"You pose a threat to wizard-kind by building this school of yours." It had been Feladoric Ferric, Council Headmen and one of the oldest wizards still alive from the illustrious Ferric family, to answer. The Ferric family was only younger by the Gradialaic family that eventually gave birth to Merlin.

"What threat do we pose by offering to train young wizards the arts of witchcraft there would be less trouble when it came to the time when they are to live on their own. Yes, they might be together but whom better to learn with then the people they shall soon be with?"

The Council Headmen had stood up glaring at him. "Child you are far too insolent than is to be tolerated."

"And you're far too senile to deem what it is we should do!" Isva had growled. She never was quite good at keep her mouth shut. Gavi had glared over at her as the entire council eyes turned to her.

"You—" He didn't get to finish the sentence.

"Just because you are stuck in the old ways does not mean that we have to be. Who trains your child when they are just tapping into their power? Would it not make sense to bring them together in a castle where it is made just for that purpose?" Salazar had shouted out.

Gavi shook her head at the thought. That was certainly a memory.

"Now you should go up to your rooms and unpack your possessions," Godric instructed. "We shall only be having afternoon classes right after lunch."

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Hermione growled as she walked to the Gryffindor common room. She was going to kill the Founders. She couldn't believe that they were forcing her to do this.

Rowena had explained that she would have to stay in the Gryffindor sector like the other students. They didn't want anyone thinking that she was being given special attention. So all her robes and such were packed up in suitcases like she was just coming in. Jinxy was going to be staying with Gavi again, much to the elf's displeasure but he had understood.

The common room looked little different from her time. There were less paintings and the furniture was different. The magnificent fireplace was lit and roaring like normal. She almost felt as if she were back home.

"I pride myself on knowing faces, but I can't recall every remembering yours," she heard behind her. She turned to see a girl with long blonde hair pulling in a very elegant style. She was in the same style of robe as Hermione.

"Oh," Hermione said, surprised. "I'm actually new here. I was signed up during the winter."

"Lady Andela Gavelstone, daughter of Baroness Lucida and Baron Cameron Gavelstone." Hermione had to keep the odd look off her face. People and their long as hell titles in this era.

"Lady Hermione G—Hufflepuff, at your service."

"You're a Hufflepuff?" Andela demanded, eyes wide. "Forgive me for my rudeness, My Lady." She went down in a curtsy.

"There is no need for that," Hermione said aghast. This was going to take some getting used to.

Andela stood up, face red. "Sorry. I was taught that it was proper to do that. Professor Isva says I really should stop doing that. Would you like me to show you to the rooms?"

"That would be nice."

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All right. So it's been a long time since I've last updated. I'm really going to try and update in the next week because, oddly enough, school has been really easy lately. Junior year is really hard. Hope you enjoyed this short and very long awaited chapter. The next one will be more exciting.


	17. Lessons to be Learned

Chapter 17

Lessons to be Learned

"Sir Daverelli, if you dare to point that wand towards any other poor bug that so happens to scuttle across your desk, you will find yourself in detention," Rowena instructed. The boy in question looked up from where he was playing with a little beetle on his desk. He had made the beetle twenty times its size and the poor thing was trying to cope with its new size.

"Sorry Professor Ravenclaw."

Rowena pointed her wand at the bug and it shrunk down to its normal size. The girl sitting next to Daverelli looked immensely grateful. So did the bug. He scuttled right off the desk and back to his business.

Hermione shook her head at the sight. Even Ron, who surely wasn't the biggest Lumos spell ever cast, wouldn't spend half of class playing around with a beetle and an Enlargement Spell. God these kids in this time were complete idiots when it came to magic. Even the books in this time were ridiculously bare. She remembered noting that to Isva and Gavi when she had found them sitting in a library.

Isva had her legs propped up on her sister's outstretched legs that were resting on the table. Isva had a notebook out with a peacock quill scratching across the page. An inkwell floated next to her in the shape of a moon with amethyst colored ink glittering in it. Gavi had a large stack of books next to her with one particular large one in her lap. She was making notes that her sister would copy down.

"What are you two doing?" Hermione asked, curious about the scene. The twins got along better than any twins she ever knew…except maybe the Weasly Twins. Which speaking of those twins she was still going to kill those twins.

Gavi looked up from her spot. "Making notes on this book."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Why?"

"A couple of years ago we were looking through some book written by an German wizard by the name of Lord Rotellini Fraganavech. He wrote that women are in capable of magic because 'due to… Sister-mine, how is it that phrase went again?" Isva had looked at her sister, face annoyed.

"Due to the innate nature of the fairer gender, and the simple and truly meager intelligence that they as both the fair and more beautiful gender withhold, are utterly and absolutely incapable of even the simplest magic. Therefore, we, the capable gender, must therefore conclude that women are not inclined to magic as we, the men, are.' Of course he went on from there to explain just what about women it was that made us incompetent." Gavi had a grimace set upon her face. Clearly she hadn't liked that book very much.

"So from there we started going through every book that we have or get. T'was best that we find which of these written scriptures had also the brazen to lie. We began making notes on the books and testing out the hypothesis of each and every book. So far we have done all of the books in the library and edited them as we see fit."

Gavi pointed to the pile next to her. "These are one we received as gifts during Christmas. We felt the need to edit them."

Hermione could tell that they had had a little fun with this book on her desk. The writing was in Isva's handwriting. She had learned that Gavi always went over the books because she was the faster reader. Isva would write anything she said down.

A shrill bell rang out to signify that this class was over. Hermione gathered up her bag and headed towards the door. As she walked into the hallways, she glanced down at her schedule. Experimental Spells and Jinxes with Godric. Oh that was going to be interesting.

It was also kind of exciting when she thought about it. She was finally going to see the head of her house teach a class. How many people in her time got to say that? That was definitely a stupid thought. Well, that was obviously no one so she was one in how every many wizards in the world there were.

"I beg for your pardon, my lady," said a voice behind her. She turned to see a tall young man. He had dark brown hair that almost looked black that fell to his chin. He had dark green eyes that looked freakishly familiar but she couldn't place them. He wore the male version of the uniform that had a tunic and leggings. The uniform sculpted to his legs perfectly and his chest was nice a broad.

"For what do you desire it for?" This old language was still taking some getting used to. It was all so formal and hard to remember that that you couldn't just come out and say something. Unless you were one of the teachers. They all seemed to have no problem talking bluntly.

"I fear I was quite blinded by a stunning sight and could not prevent my vile, horrid self from staring at what I had no right to let my lecherous gaze linger on. This sight, which I held no right to ever gaze upon, was you, my lady. I know I am owed no right and I can only hope, nay pray, that you would allow me the pleasure of just knowing by the title which you go by."

Did he really have to take that long to say he noticed her and ask her name? That was what she meant about too formal of a language. "I am called H—Lady Hermione Hufflepuff. Perhaps you should like to provide me your given name?"

A smile spread across his face. She really had to admit that he was incredibly good looking. "Lord Triston Salazar, at your beck and call."

Hermione was taken aback. This was Salazar's little brother? Salazar had told her that he had a one little brother who came to the school. She had been anxious to meet him since she and Salazar had officially begun "courting" each other.

"Another relative of a founder of this prestigious school? I must ask you, why is it that your name does not begin with an 's' like all your other relatives?" Come to think of it, Isva's name didn't start with a g like the rest of the Gryffindor family. Hmm.

Triston chuckled. "My first name is actually Selvanar, my lady. I must say that I prefer my middle name of Triston to that of my first name."

"Is that so?" Hermione asked beginning to walk towards her class. Triston kept pace right next to her. She noticed that people were staring at them as they walked along. Obviously they weren't used to seeing girls and boys talking and walking with each other so out in the open.

She liked this time a lot but all of this social pressure for the girls to be prim and proper demure little things was quite aggravating. She honestly preferred her own times open and accepting air because this times was enough to strangle someone. No wonder the women in the castle hated it when the students came to an extent because they had to go back to being what was expected.

"It quite is. Perhaps you will allow me to properly escort you, as I must say is custom, to your next class." He put out his arm for her to take. Trying to keep the aggravation from getting on her face she merely put her arm on his.

"To what class are you bound for?" he asked as they walked down a hallway.

"Professor Gryffindor," Hermione replied.

That gave Triston a pause. Then it occurred to her that there were three Professor Gryffindors in the castle. "Experimental Spells and Jinxes."

"Ah, very good. I have that class next to and I must insist that you sit with me," he gave her a smile. While he was similar to Salazar she found that she was comfortable around him. Not in any way that she was with his brother. He had an air about him that just gave you the creeps.

"All right."

He led her into Godric's class and Hermione found herself being led to a seat as she observed the room. It was decorated with large sheets of paper with scrawls and scripts of different people writing spells that the students might try. There were others with images showing what happened when spells went bad and warning students not to do this.

The bell rang and in walked Godric wearing the teachers' robes. He waked to the front of the class and leaned on his desk. "Welcome back each of you. I trust that you all had a good Christmas time?"

One boy in the corner raised his hand. "Professor Godric?"

"Yes Mulligan?"

"My father told me the school might be closing, is that true?"

Hermione noticed that all the students were watching Godric closely. She had heard other students ask the other teachers that very question. Everyone who went here was usually from a noble family and therefore their parents had been at the Christmas party. It was no surprise that most seem to think with the threat of a take over that parents would get worried for their children.

"I see you to have heard from your parents of our little party crasher," Godric shook his head as he stood up. "No the school will certainly not be closing. Many times we have had people claim that this castle, the fruit of our long labor, is rightfully theirs. And each time we have shown them just who this castle belongs to. You need not worry about any such thing happening. The school will not close. Anymore questions?"

A few tentive hands went up and Godric sighed. "That doesn't deal with the school closing." All the hands went down. "I thought as much. Now we shall get to the lesson and leave foolish rumors just as they are, foolish rumors."

Hermione accepted the book that was passed back to her. So parents were getting worried. Maybe this threat was more than any of the teachers were letting on. She remember back to the time when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened and all the teachers had told them not to worry. Then she had been turn into stone. No need to worry her ass.

Something was amiss that they didn't want anyone to know. She had noted that Godric was looking a little suspicious as he tied a note to Fluffers collar and the lion went bounding out of the room. She was definitely talking to Salazar about this tonight.

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Well, there you go. Two updates. Since I've been terrible at updating lately I've written two chapters for my wonderful readers. So Hermione is starting to realize that all the founders are keeping something from her but what is the big secret? You'll have to wait until I write and post that part. Hopefully it should only take a couple of days.

Oh and I was happy to introduce Triston Salazar the character from my contest winner. He'll have a more important part later.


	18. The Way It Is

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Yep, I've finally updated. I know it takes me forever to do this. I guess I'm a bit lazy. Hehe. I want to thank everyone who had reviewed and and continue to read this, despite my slowness on updating, and just stick with me. I'm trying to finish up 19 soon. But with me I can never garuntee when that will be. Sorry.

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Chapter 18

The Way It Is

"Are you sure this is how you want it to be?" Isva asked, her wand twirling around her fingers. Her eyes traced the pattern that seemed to be developing on the floor from his constant pacing.

She could feel the unease that seem to radiate from the man pacing back and forth in front of her. His hands twitched behind him and his eyes were so focused on the trail he walked, she wasn't even sure he had heard her.

She wished there was something she could do to comfort him. But she knew it was impossibly right now. With the new he had just gotten she was surprised he was only pacing.

"Are you and Rowena sure that it will work?" Just how many times had he asked her that question?

"T'was I not sure, you would no knowledge of what we have produced," Isva replied, for what felt like the thousandth time. She glanced over at a noise behind her and watched as Jarvice walked, putting books on their proper shelves.

Salazar noticed the way her eyes watched the slightly elder man, how the man wouldn't look at her and the sadness that seemed to resonate from the lion heiress. When she looked back at him her eyes held unshed tears but other than that her face was firmly held in control. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and when they opened they were clear.

"He still refuses to speak to you?" Salazar asked.

She looked up at him, half surprised he was asking that damned question again. "Yes, though I have yet to see what it was that I did. Any time I seek to speak with him, he says he has more important matters to attend to and jut about runs away from me."

Salazar felt for his friend. The woman had enough problems without Jarvice ignoring her. He wished there was someway he could help her through what she was going through but anything he did would be little good. The two of them would just have to find a way to work it out. Besides, if what Isva had told him just now he had enough problems himself.

Before Salazar could say anything more, Rowena walked in carrying a small box in her arms. She looked a little flustered as she set the box down on the table and straightened her outfit. Her gray blue eyes locked onto his and she gave a sad smile.

"Greetings Rowena," Isva said from her seat.

"Have you told him?" Rowena asked, glancing at Salazar. He realized that none of the other founders or teachers were here. Obviously this was going to be only between the three of them and no others.

"Yes I have," Isva replied as she stood up to come stand next to the other woman.

"Why are you telling me this?" Salazar asked, eye focusing on the women. They looked at each other, as if debating who would have the duty of informing him of their little project held within the box.

Apparently Isva won out on the little mental battle because Rowena gave a little sigh. Then again, Isva had been answering the same question for the past half hour. He sensed he was probably not going to like what he was about to hear. Actually most of the news in the past few weeks had been bad.

"After working tirelessly we managed to repair the device that Hermione had in her possession when she first appeared in the castle. Isva wished to tell you before we informed Hermione of our development."

"But why would you want to tell me?" His biggest fear was coming true. Hermione would be leaving him. She wouldn't be traveling to some other land, she would be going to another time. Her time.

Salazar flopped down in a chair behind him, almost missing the edge. He stared down at the stone floor, mind buzzing. She was going to leave him. He wouldn't be able to see her. No more seeing her bright smile as she told him about her life in the future. No more holding her in his arms as they talked for hours into the night. It would be all gone.

Isva gave him a look that spelled out clearly. She knew just how strong he felt for Hermione. How he would give anything to send her back to her time but still wished with all his heart to keep her here with him. How he wished to tell her of all his feelings but held back for fear of the very thing that was transpiring. Isva knew it all.

"I have but one question for you my friend," Isva said. "Do you want us to tell her?"

"Isva!" Rowena gasped, her eyes wide as she looked at the lion heiress. Shock wrote itself across the raven founder. How could she say that? This was not for Salazar to decide. That power rested in Hermione alone. They held no right to decide her fate.

"Answer honestly." Her eyes betrayed nothing. Salazar could only stare at the woman standing in front of him. He could tell she honestly meant what she said. If he said he wanted her Isva would probably destroy the device, therefore cutting off the only possible means for Hermione to return.

"How can you say that?" Rowena demanded. "This is not for either of you to choose!"

"What would you do then?" Isva countered, eyes glowing. "Would you choose to give up the one you love! If you had the choice to prevent the one you love from leaving you would you not do it!"

"To love means to be willing to lose the one you care for if it best for them!" Rowena screamed. She stood at her full height as she stared up at Isva. She glared at the other woman, feelings of actual hatred bubbling inside of her.

"Is that what you believe? So tell me this then. Would you still let Toveskel gone knowing what you now?"

Rowena's eyes went wide. "How dare you bring his name up?!"

About five years ago Rowena had fallen in love with a wizard from another family, already pledged to another girl. Toveskel had also fallen for her but both families had been set against the marriage. It had been Rowena's father who had come up with the idea that he should prove himself worthy of Rowena, being that he was of a lower family. Rowena had been all for it, thinking that it would be easy to fetch the item and then return to her. But she had not counted on a group of bandits killing him halfway through the trip while he slept.

"Would you still have let him gone?" Isva demanded.

"How dare you!" Rowena cried, launching herself at the other witch. The both went flying back into a shelf of books. Salazar watched in horror as Isva collided with it. Rowena commenced on letting her fist fly into the other witch, all while shouting insults in multiple languages.

Salazar rushed over and grabbed Rowena's wrist to keep her from beating on Isva. The raven founder struggle against him as she tried to hit Isva again. Isva looked up from where Rowena straddled her, making no move to even stop the other witch.

"Rowena! Rowena! Have some sense! What are you doing?!" he yelled as Rowena continued to struggle.

"What do you know of love?!" Rowena shouted. "You're a cold heartless wench! You even lost Salazar who was only courting you because he owed your brother! Face it, no one could love you!"

Salazar let go of Rowena's arms as he sat back on his haunches. Had she really just said that? He knew Rowena could be mean when she wanted to but this…This was just cruel. To berate Isva about not being able to get a man.

Isva stood up quickly, knocking Rowena off of her and against Salazar. Her eyes were burning as she looked at the woman, trying her hardest not to blow the woman to high heaven and back.

It was at this time Jarvice came back into the library. His eyes went wide at the sight of the books scattered across the floor, Isva's bruised face, Rowena's glare and Salazar's dumbfounded look.

Isva shut her eyes before running past Jarvice as fast as her feet could carry her. Jarvice watched her run before looking at the other two. "What happened here?"

"Never your mind," Rowena growled, running out of the library as quick as Isva, though in the other direction. Both men watched her go too before an awkward silence fell over the room.

"Do you want to explain?" Jarvice looked at the snake founder, still seated on the floor.

"I fear I don't know where to begin."

Jarvice scratched his head looking at the books, noting that none of them seemed damaged. There was a little blood from where Rowena had been beating Isva but no other damage. He then remembered why he had come back here.

"I don't quite believe this is the time but Hermione spoke with me and wishes to see you in the High Tower."

Salazar stood up, dusted off his robes before heading towards the exit. He placed a hand on Jarvice's shoulder at which the man dipped his head, neither saying a word but both knowing what the silence meant.

As he made his way down the hallway Jarvice called after him, "What of this chest, Salazar?"

What of it, indeed? he thought as the elder man handed it to him.

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This was one of my least favorite chapters to write. I hated that Rowena had to come off as a bit of a witch (not the good one) but it really sets of the rest of the story. And sorry the chapter was kind of short. It just had to end suspensfully. So there is now a way for Hermione to get back but the question is will Salazar give her the choice???? You'll have to wait and see.

Again thank you to all my readers. You guys are seriously awesome. To honestly stick with me this long you guys deserve a medal or something.

LOVES!!!!!


	19. Why Me!

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Chapter 19

Why Me?!

Hermione stood looking over the grounds. Even in her own time this had been her favorite place to just come to up to think. The view was amazing and people rarely came up here.

She had been attending the school for a little more than a week but this was going to be the first time since all the other people had came that she would be able to Salazar. Though she had tried after all the other students had gone to bed, she would always find that he had already gone to bed.

Though today was Saturday she hadn't managed to find him around the castle. She had looked in the normal places but his presence was not in any of them. Finally she had asked Jarvice if he could find him and say that she wished to speak to him. If he didn't come at least she had the wonderful view to entertain her.

"Hermione?" she turned around to see not Salazar coming up but Triston.

She had gotten close to the younger Slytherin. He seemed to follow her everywhere and they constantly talked since they had almost the same schedule. He was a charming guy with an easy smile and good sense of humor but he was no Salazar.

Not that she really cared about all of that right now. She was trying to figure out just why he was up here, obviously looking for her. She hadn't told him where she would be and made sure Jarvice told only Salazar to meet her up here.

"Triston," she said, smiling. "What are you doing up here?"

"Looking for you, naturally." There was that little smirk he did. It sent chills down her spine and not the good kind.

"Why would you be looking for me?" she asked. Her hand went into her robe pocket, quickly finding her wand. This didn't escape Triston's eye.

"Why are you going for your wand?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "Don't you trust me?"

He was now less than a yard from her and moving closer as he spoke. She had never quite noticed how sinister he looked with that little smirk on his lips. The light of the full moon cast an eerie glow over everything and he look particularly twisted right now.

"Course I do," she said cautiously. Hermione noticed that her voice wavered as she looked into Triston's dark eyes. Unable to stop her body began to shake as he drew closer to her. Her back was now pressed into the turret and their chest pressed against each other. She could feel his breath on her cheeks.

"I'm glad," he replied with a little chuckle. She felt the rush of breath on her face. She should push him away. She should tell him to move back. But she found herself unable to move. His presence just seemed to overwhelm her.

He moved a hand up to her cheek and she gasped at the sudden warmth. "What are you doing?"

"What we both want," he replied. He leaned in and placed his lips against hers.

Hermione's eyes went wide. Just what in God's name did he think he was doing? She tried to move but his hand caught her fist as she tried to hit him with while the other grabbed her hair roughly.

She cried out from the pain and Triston took the opportunity to shove his tongue in her mouth. She was quite unable to stop him with him holding her arm and the other pinned behind her back. She couldn't even manage to get her wand out.

What was he going to do to her? He could do anything and no one would be able to stop him. Everyone had long since retired to bed and they were many floors below from where she was. Oh God, he was going to rape her!

"Petrificus Totalis!" yelled a voice. Triston moved before the spell hit him and it flew right next to Hermione's head, narrowly missing her.

Standing in the doorway, wand pointed at his own brother, was Salazar. His eyes burned with hatred as he glared at Triston.

"What in the hell are you doing brother?" he demanded.

"As if it matters to you, elder brother?"

Salazar shot another spell that Triston gracefully dodged. His brown hair flew into his face, resting over one eye. He didn't even bother to fix the hair. For some reason, it suited him, Hermione couldn't help but notice.

Salazar came up the last two steps to stand in front of Hermione, wand still pointed at his brother. He put his other hand back and Hermione quickly grabbed it.

"You are unhurt?" he asked, though not turning around.

"I'm fine." She pressed against his back as he nodded.

Salazar turned back to the boy in front of him. "Who are you?"

"What do you mean, elder brother?" Triston asked, looking confused. "I am your brother. Who else would I be?"

Salazar gave him a sour look. "You must think me a fool, sir. While the potion you have taken had given you his appearance it did not give you his life. My brother never calls me 'elder brother' and has not the ability to walk across a flat surface without tripping much less that dodge you just did."

Triton looked at Salazar for a moment. His expression then twisted up into a maniacal twisted expression. Triston, or rather whoever had Triston's appearance, tilted his head back and let out a dark laugh.

"You are not as foolish as I gave you credit for," Triston chuckled darkly. "I will have to remember that for future activities. I must say that I thought this disguise to be enough. Was it really the fact that I called you elder brother that tipped you off?"

"That and your hair looks ridiculous," Salazar growled out.

Triston let out another chuckle. He then glanced up at the moon. "I see that my time is nearly up." With that Triston's body began to bubble and grow. In a few seconds where Triston had once stood was a man with silver hair, some of it falling over his right eye. He stood taller than Salazar with a slight build but not lanky. He had a maniacal air about him and that creepy smile still on his face.

"Again I ask you, who are you?" Salazar asked.

"I am called by many names but you will have the privilege of calling me Master," the man laughed.

Salazar had to keep from rolling eyes as he looked at the man. "And why would I ever call you that? No one is lord over me or anyone here."

"We shall see." Out of his robes the man pulled out his wand and pointed towards the other two. Before Salazar could blink, Hermione disappeared and reappeared next to the guy.

"What are you—" Hermione fell into his arms as she was hit by a sleep spell.

Salazar so wanted to blast a spell at the man but he held Hermione. He risked the chance of hitting his love. He glared at the man standing before him, who had about the cockiest looking smile he'd ever had the misfortune to see.

"It had been a real pleasure to meet you, Salazar Slytherin," the man chuckled while picking up Hermione bridal style. "And I really must thank you for this lovely gift." With that, the man disappeared from Salazar's sight.

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I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Kind of short I know but the next one is super long. Promise. I know everyone is wondering if Salazar was going to give her a choice but you'll just have to wait. Sorry. So now the question is, what does this mysterious man want with Hermione? Will they get her back?

And many thanks to all my wonderful reviewers. You guys are so great. I wouldn't have continued this story if it wasn't for you encouragement. And updated so quickly. Hope you guys enjoy.


	20. A New Version of Shopping

I finally got chapter twenty up! I'm soooooooooooooooooo sorry to everyone that it took me so long to update. Really, I'm horrible about it. I can't keep deadline worth anything. If you all totally hate me I completely understand! But please don't! I know its kind of short (and very long coming) but its to build up later action. Hopefully I will be able update faster because I got a new laptop thats way cool. Please enjoy. I thank you all my loyal readers and reviewers that told me to get off my lazy ass and finish this story. Actually, there are only a few chapters left in this one.

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Chapter 20

A New Version of Shopping

"There is need to make haste so that we may find her quickly!" Salazar shouted. Loud enough for her to even hear on top of the battlements, curled in a fur coat against the harsh winter wind. Hermione had been kidnapped the night before and Salazar was all for going after the bastard that had taken her. Honestly, she could see why he wanted. He freaking loved the girl that much was obvious. And the device Rowena and her had created would only last so long.

They hadn't been able to replicate the exact instrument that Hermione had had on her when she had appeared in this time. Some things were even past them, smart as they were. After all, it was from a different time with more advanced wizards and had obviously been made by someone use to constructing them. They had had none of that, merely brain, experiments, and hell of a lot of luck. Yeah, whole hell of a lot of that.

The device had about a seven-day period of activity. After that it was no good. They had to get Hermione back in the next five days or the girl would be stuck here for who knows how long.

Isva wrapped the fur tighter around her, watching the snow drift in slow motion almost. The moon was enough light above her that she could see for miles and miles of ground covered in the white powder.

"'Tis a pretty night, no?" asked a voice behind her.

She turned to see her sister Gavi leaning against the door that opened to the stairs down from the tower. She looked a little odd though. Almost as if she wasn't comfortable standing in her own body.

"Aye, it is, sister mine," Isva nodded. "Why are you not down amidst the argument that seems to be raging?"

"You're presence was notably lacking so I came in search of you." Gavi walked with a little bit of a swagger towards Isva. As if something was wrong with her leg.

"What is impedes your walk?"

Gavi glanced down at where her legs rested under her fur coat and robes. She seemed to be thinking over something, shoulders hunched, brow furrowed. Her eyes then turned to Isva's and they were glittering.

"No thing that need be of your concern."

It took all of a second for Isva to have her wand pointed at the other woman who was most certainly not her sister. Her sister never told her to mind her own business. And if she ever did it was over something major that Gavi needed to work out herself. Like when she was dating Merlin the Third. Any injury the other woman had no problem telling her about, even making a joke at her clumsiness streak.

It was within that second that Gavi had her want out, striking Isva in the chest with a spell that seemed to stop her heart for a moment before the lion heiress collapsed to the awaiting cold stone, shock written on her face. Her body jerked uncontrolablly while she watched her sister, well, actually whoever was disguised as her sister, walk towards her.

Before everything went black she managed to see whoever it was transform from Gavi into a tall man with silver hair over his right eye, crazy gleeful grin spread over his lips.

"Fucking bastard," was all Isva could get out before slipping into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Ooo, if I wasn't a lady I would have showed Salazar just precisely what I thought of him!" Rowena fumed, pacing in front of her desk. Her fist were clenched, one holding her wand very tightly as she seriously debated on going back to the Great Hall and blowing numerous holes in her snake friend.

"Great!" she cried as she threw her arms up in frustration. "I am beginning to sound like Isva!"

"My raven friend, what is that troubles you?" asked Gavi, sauntering into Rowena's office. The raven founder watched the woman curiously. She never came barging into anyone's personal space, given the fact that she would blow whomever—save for Isva, as it was—to little pieces without batting an eye.

"Salazar, Isva, you darling cousin, everyone!" Rowena cried, fury renewed at the thought of the snake master. "Salazar is quite set on his journey to find Hermione and doesn't not realize we have no clue to where this man with silver locks has taken his lady love. He refuses to listen to reason."

"Men rarely listen to reason when there is a damsel in distress involved," Gavi said darkly, sitting in one of the high backed chairs in Rowena's office. She crossed her legs under her black robes and positioned her body so it looked like she was seated in a throne, arrogant sneer passing on her face that went unnoticed by Rowena.

Rowena sat down in the chair, though she wanted very much to flop as Isva would have done in the situation. Why did she have to keep thinking of the lion woman? Sure, she felt pretty guilty attacking the woman yesterday in the library but she knew just the right card to play to get a rile out of her.

No, she shouldn't feel guilty. The woman had deserved it, given what she had said. All right, so she had only deserved the punches Rowena had thrown at her for what she had said but hardly the comments. That was why she was feeling so terrible. Wonderful, now she felt horrible about herself and still had the need to blast a few holes in Salazar.

"I fear what you say is true," Rowena sighed, looking at the woman.

"What I say is always true," Gavi chuckled airily.

The raven founder raised an eyebrow. "You're hardly infallible, dear."

Gavi's face turned dark, eyes narrowing in a way the woman had never done before. Her mouth went into a very thin line while her hands gripped the arms of the chairs. She looked murderous.

"You would dispute my claims, witch?" she hissed angrily.

The other woman instantly went for her wand, realizing too late that her friend was not in a right mind. But it was for naught. Gavi had her wand pointed at her before Rowena could get her hand up her sleeve. The pain that shot into Rowena's chest caused her heart to flutter from the sheer magic pulsing within her.

The raven founder slumped in the chair, pain and horror etched into her face as blackness swallowed her vision, hearing, and thoughts.

* * *

"Rowena?" Helga knocked lightly on the door of the woman's office. There was a slight gasping noise followed by a male's voice speaking low. Throwing open the door, Helga pointed her wand, ready to fight to the death.

The scene that she came to though, was not what she had expected. A man, long silver hair falling down over his right shoulder, standing over Rowena's obviously unconscious form. Wasn't quite sure what she had been expecting, but this sure wasn't it.

The man turned quickly, eyes flaring in anger at the sudden intrusion. He had his wand ready to strike before Helga turned and high tailed it out the room. Honestly, who would have stayed there?

Grabbing her immense dress skirts, and for once cursing the hindering outfit she wore, Helga set her target for the Great Hall, where everyone was still debating what to do about the Hermione problem. She had left to come see if Rowena was all right. Salazar had said something to the woman that had definitely upset her, though no one else had heard her.

She could hear the booted footsteps of the man behind her. Naturally she picked up the pace. When she threw open the doors to the Great Hall, dismay fell on her. It was empty.

The footsteps were getting closer; she could even feel the murderous rage wafting off of him. Where was everybody? Isva was on the High Tower! Surely she would help her. Grabbing her skirts up once again, the badger founder raced for the nearby tower, hoping the woman was still sulking up there.

It wasn't that Helga wasn't decent with a wand; it was just that she had problems in a fight. She'd never really had the heart to strike against another human, even in rage. She really couldn't stand any act of violence. And don't even get her started about blood. She fainted at the merest sight. The lioness, on the other hand, was quick to blast a spell or two at anyone that aggravated her.

Darting up the circling stairs, Helga finally reached the door to outside. Throwing open the heavy wood, she nearly cried when she saw the fallen fur coat, lying on the cold stone, covered in snow.

"T'were you looking for the young lioness?" asked a cold and eerie voice behind her. Helga turned to face the man. His face was stretched into a deadly smirk that spoke volumes.

"What has become of my friends?" Helga demanded with force that she didn't feel.

The man knew it. He flicked a silver piece of hair as he sauntered closer, smirk growing larger. He was tall, just shorter than Brutus. He had black eyes that looked like the Gates of Hell. High set cheek bones and a strong face, broad shoulders and thick arms, he was what Rowena classified as "far too much brawn and therefore lacking in the intelligence quota." But from this point he didn't look stupid.

He looked evil.

He chose to ignore her question. "I fear the young lionesses and the pretty little raven have all been put into their proper cages. But I find myself with a problem." He had moved closer, forcing Helga against the battlement. "There is one opening in my little…zoo. And I find myself unable to find the creature to fill the space. Might you know one?"

He was mocking her. She wanted so much to do something, shout or even blast his rear to high heaven. But she couldn't. Fear had her rooted in the spot she stood. He already had Rowena and the twins. What could she do against him that the others couldn't? He probably had Hermione too!

"Perhaps…" He raised his wand as a scream welled in her throat. "A furry little badger?"

The spell hit her and that was the end.

* * *

Yep, totally left you at another cliffie. Hate me, love me, that's how its got to be. :P Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.


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